Never Getting Rid of Me
by starspangledpumpkin
Summary: Elphaba runs away at age nine and joins the circus. For Spring Bingo.
1. Chapter 1

**Space Address:** 3D - Renewal

**Word Count:** 2825

**Challenges:** Short Jog(N); Advice From the Mug; New Fandom Smell (N); Tiny Terror (N)

**Stacked With:** Spring Bingo; Individual Challenges

**Warnings:** straight up child abuse

**A/N**: I wasn't even planning on posting this, but I'm aiming for Blackout in Spring Bingo.

~o0o~

Elphaba Thropp had had a miserable existence for all of her nine years. First her mother, the only person who ever cared about her, died giving birth to her younger sister, Nessarose. The baby was premature and her legs were all twisted up making her unable to walk.

And it was all Elphaba's fault.

She was born with beautifully tragic green skin. She was green from her nose to the tips of her toes. Her lips were green, her nails were green, the only change being her eyes which were a sharp shade of grey. Everything about her was sharp, even for a child. Sharp cheeks, sharp nose, and a bony frame.

Because of this deformity, when her mother had grown pregnant, Frex, Elphaba's father, had made his wife, Melena, chew milkflowers. Thus, leading to Nessarose's tragically beautiful deformity.

Frex then treated his eldest daughter as nothing but a burden. Looking at her as if she were a flea. But a flea with a purpose. A flea that was being trained to look after Nessarose and stand beside her while she was groomed to be future Governess of Munchkinland.

If only green skin were the end of it.

No, Elphaba also had the misfortune of being cursed with magic. Magic that manifested in her outbursts. The kind that scared everyone in Munchkinland and the kind that her father tried to beat out of her.

Late in October, Elphaba had been at the market with Nessarose when some kids started throwing rocks at the both of them and called them awful names like "cripple" and "green freak" and before she even realized what she'd done, those children were hanging by their ankles.

They weren't hurt. Just frightened.

Nessarose and Elphaba were more hurt than any of them.

Father was furious with Elphaba for 1: letting it happen in the first place and 2: for reacting with magic.

She ended up locked in her room with no supper and nursing a few more bruises. Her father's words echoed in her mind.

_It would be better if you weren't even here._

Perhaps they would all be better off if she weren't there. Better for Frex and his image, better for Nessarose and her social life, and better for Elphaba.

Anywhere was better than here.

Mind made up, Elphaba found an old satchel in her closet and stuffed it with a change of clothes, a hairbrush, an empty journal, and the little green bottle that belonged to her mother. Father threw it in the trash shortly after Nessa was born and Elphaba salvaged it, keeping it under her pillow.

She tested her window and found that it opened. Peering out, there was a ledge that allowed her to reach Nessa's room.

After the sun set and the house was quiet, Elphaba crawled out onto the ledge and carefully made her way to Nessa's room. She pusheding open the window just enough to place a letter she wrote on the nightstand. Their nanny would see it in the morning and read it to her.

_My dearest Nessarose,_

_I'm sorry it had to be like this, but I didn't know if I would have the chance to do it in person. I'm running away. It's for your own good, Nessa. I can't stand to watch you get hurt simply for being associated with me. I love you too much. Perhaps one day, we will meet again, but as long as I am unwelcome to everyone else, it is better for us to be apart._

_I will miss you so much and I will think of you every day._

_Your sister,_

_Fabala_

Closing the window, Elphaba crawled over to the apple tree branch that was close to the house and grabbed hold tightly before jumping. The young branch bent with her weight but didn't snap as it lowered her to the ground. She let go and took off into the night, running as far as her feet could carry her before and then walking the rest of the way.

She followed the yellow brick road until it led to a fork. Unsure of which way to go, she closed her eyes, pointed her finger, and spun around in a circle. When she opened them, she was pointing to the left.

Left it was.

Pulling her shawl tighter around her, she kept walking even as the trees grew more menacing and the air got colder. She walked until her feet cramped and ached.

Finally, she left the side of the road, plunked down on the roots of a tree, and cried herself to sleep.

~o0o~

Being on the run was harder for Elphaba than she thought. Everywhere she went, she was chased away. For the winter, she lived with various Animals and they would show her how to forage for food and what was safe to eat and not safe to eat. She wrote about it in her journal and drew the pictures the best she could.

She was always scared that someone from Munchkinland would find her and take her back to her father. Though, perhaps they'd be too scared of her to try.

Still, Elphaba was growing desperate. She was hungry all the time and she was the thinnest she'd ever been in her life. Whenever she stood up, she felt a wave of dizziness and her limbs trembled. Spring still felt ages away and she was just… so cold.

As she walked along a deer path, a tantalizing smell danced on the air. Popped corn and… peanuts.

Nose leading her, Elphaba pushed her way through the shrubbery and came upon a massive clearing filled with tents. Some of them were small in size while others were much bigger, and they all surrounded one massive tent that was completely red and seemed to touch the sky. She didn't see anyone around but her attention was brought to a barrel full of apples the size of her face. Her stomach cried with hunger. Surely no one would miss one.

Checking once more that the coast was clear, Elphaba tiptoed towards the barrel. Her mouth watered as she imagined biting into something juicy. After dumpster diving for her meals, she was eager for something fresh.

She stepped on something and a loud roar startled her. Elphaba gasped in horror as a lion in a dress, hidden by feed sacks, turned on her. The beast rose to two feet and its roar became human.

"YEOUCH!" she yelled. "That hurt!"

Elphaba gaped. She wasn't a lion, but a Lioness. An animal that was bipedal and could speak the languages of Oz.

"What's the matter?" the Lioness continued. "Didn't your parents teach you any better than to step on someone while they're sleeping?"

Elphaba's attention turned back to the apples and the Lioness' rant trailed off.

"What are you looking at? Oh…" Her features softened and her claws retracted. "You must be hungry."

Elphaba nodded. The Lioness plucked an apple from the bunch and shined it on her multi-colored sleeve before giving it to the little girl. Elphaba took a big bite and juice gushed down her chin. She slurped it up and ate faster.

The Lioness scrutinized her. "You're not normal for a human, are you?"

Elphaba shook her head.

"Where are your parents?"

"Gone," said Elphaba.

"Ah! So you do speak," said the Lioness. "I'm Teenie, and you've come to the right place for misfits."

"I'm Elphaba," she replied. "And… what place is this?"

"This is called a circus," said a deeper voice.

Elphaba turned and saw a Bear in magenta pants with yellow stripes and a beaded vest approach.

"This child came from the forest, Birch," said Teenie. "She's all alone. Can we keep her?"

"Well, that would be up to Torrance," said Birch, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "She's young, she could pick up an act easily."

"Act?"

"Have you ever been to the circus, little one?" Teenie asked.

Elphaba shook her head. "Is it all Animals?"

"Oh, no," said Birch. "We have plenty of humans. They're all acrobats and clowns. Torrance is the Ringmaster and runs everything."

"He probably wouldn't accept a freak like me…" Elphaba muttered. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, I'll leave."

"Now hold on," said Teenie. "The circus is the place to run to when you're different."

"The lame can walk, the blind can see, and everyone is selling something," said a voice.

A girl only a few years older than Elphaba rounded a tent and approached the barrel. She was slight and used a long cane that she sweeped along the ground for obstacles. Her eyes stared at nothing and Elphaba realized she was blind.

"Good morning, Wilu," said Teenie. "We have a potential recruit. She came from the forest."

"Hello," said Elphaba.

"So, what's wrong with you, Elphie?" Wilu asked. "Do you have missing limbs?"

"No."

"Can you unhinge your jaw?"

"Not that I know of…"

"Do you have a beard or excess body hair?"

"I'm nine."

"Fused fingers?"

"No."

"Sounds ordinary to me," said Wilu.

"I'm green," said Elphaba. "I'm a freak."

"Green?"

"It's a color," said Birch. "I'd say this child is the color of my favorite grapes."

"Colors mean nothing to me," said Wilu, plucking an apple from the barrel. "You could tell me that this apple is a different color from all the other apples. It smells like an apple." She took a bite. "It tastes like an apple. It feels like an apple. If it were a different color, I wouldn't know."

"Not everyone feels that way," Elphaba muttered.

"If being blind means that I'm not an idiot then I never want to see," said Wilu. "Torrance is always looking for a new act, so I think you might be okay with joining us."

"I still don't know what a circus entails," said Elphaba thoughtfully. "But if it means getting far away from Munchkinland, then I want in."

"Why Munchkinland?" Teenie asked.

"That's where I'm from," Elphaba explained. "They hated me there. I never want to go back."

"Lucky for you we never go to Munchkinland," said Birch. "Torrance is from there as well. Always said we would never make a profit so we don't bother."

Elphaba was filled with so much relief that she nearly fainted. "So… Torrance isn't small-minded?"

"Small of stature but not of mind," said Birch. "He treats all of us like family."

"When can I meet him?" Elphaba asked.

"After a bath and another meal," said Teenie patting Elphaba on the head. "I'm sure we can find you a warmer set of clothes as well."

"Teenie, don't get attached," Birch warned. "What if Torrance does say 'no'?"

"Oh, he won't say 'no'," said Teenie. "Come with me, Elphaba."

Elphaba accepted Teenie's paw and walked with her through camp. People and Animals were stirring and moving about now, and Elphaba could see that green skin very well might not be the oddest thing here. She was stared at, but more with interest than the repulsion she was used to. They called out greetings to Teenie as she passed and went back to their own matters.

Teenie's tent was on the smaller side, but it appeared she had it to herself. She drew a bath for Elphaba by heating water in a large pot and dumping it in a wooden tub. During this time, she explained to Elphaba what her part was for the circus and more of what it entailed as a whole.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Go ahead."

"I thought only lions and Lions had manes," she said. "But you're definitely a Lioness."

Teenie hummed and poured water over Elphaba's head to rinse out the shampoo. "Well, I was born a Lion, but I knew that wasn't what I was. My pride didn't like it and kicked me out. I found acceptance here and was allowed to present myself as a Lioness. Gaian—, he's a bit like me except he's a boy—, he explained it all to me when I arrived. He was disowned when his family discoverated his secret. He's a fire breather."

"Oh."

Wilu entered the tent with a bundle tucked under her arm. "I brought Elphie a change of clothes. The entire camp is talking about the fairy child you adopted. If everyone is this interested, then Torrance is sure to accept her."

"I don't know about adopt," said Teenie, wrapping Elphaba up in a towel and guiding her out of the tub. "But I always wanted a cub of my own, and this child needs a mother."

"Sure," said Wilu.

Elphaba put on the wool dress and Teenie wrapped her up in a warm cloak.

"Now, you can meet Torrance," she said.

Elphaba took Teenie's paw once more as they made their way through the camp to finally meet Torrance the Ringmaster.

His tent was large and fancy. The man himself was inside standing at a scale model of what Elphaba assumed was the circus. He was humming to himself and arranging the figurines. Torrance was short, yet tall for Munchkin standards. He was a portly man with dark hair and no facial hair. He gave off a great air of charisma and Elphaba found herself liking him before he even spoke.

"Hello, Torrance," said Teenie. "We've got a new recruit."

"Do we now?" he said and looked up. "Well, hello there, sweetheart. What's your name?"

Elphaba gripped onto Teenie's paw. "Elphaba."

"Elphaba. What a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl," said Torrance.

Elphaba had never been referred to as beautiful before and was taken aback.

Torrance chuckled at her expression. "Well, Miss Elphaba, if you're looking to find a home, the circus is the best place. We'll get you sorted out in no time. Now, let me see…" He scrunched his eyes and waved his hand with a flourish. Out of thin air, he produced a flower and tucked it behind Elphaba's ear.

"You can do magic?" Elphaba gasped.

"Oh, just a little," said Torrance. "I do what they call Parlor Magic, nothing amazing. Course, Munchkins don't care much for magic and they ran me out. Can you do magic, Miss Elphaba?"

"I think so," said Elphaba, not sure why she would tell this man she only met everything. "But it's terrible magic, I can't make pretty things. It's destructive."

"Destructive?" Torrance laughed. "Nonsense! Like any tool, magic needs to be taught and wielded properly. Take a hammer. If you don't know how to use it, you'll just break things, but bring nails in to the mix, oh-ho-ho, then you can build yourself a cabinet! Hm… you know, I think I'd might like a cabinet one day."

"Torrance," said Teenie gently.

"Right!" Torrance snapped his fingers. "Now, we'll train you up real good in magic, Miss Elphaba. Now, in my circus, I like everyone to have a job. Now, you've got that pretty green skin… I know!" He snapped his fingers again. "Presenting, the Fairy of Beverdosa! For now we'll put you with the Horses, but we'll get you trained in magic and tightrope. Yes, you and Wilu would be amazing on the tightrope! You're young, you'll pick it up, quickly. For now, you'll stay with Teenie until you're older, and then you'll bunk with Wilu. Wonderful! Teenie, fit her for a costume. Something foresty. Maybe flowers. Reinvent her! This is the circus, we'll give her a fresh start! Tonight, she'll just watch and we'll start rehearsals bright and early tomorrow."

"That's our cue to leave," Teenie whispered and led Elphaba out.

The rest of the day was spent with introductions and show preparations. It amazed Elphaba to see citizens from a town that chased her out just the other day willingly coming to enjoy an entire show full of people who were not normal. Elphaba forgot all about them when the show began.

Torrance had everyone clinging to his every word and Elphaba was entranced by the showmanship and talent of everyone. She laughed at the antics of the clowns and gasped at the gravity defying stunts of the acrobats. By the end, she was longing to be a part of it.

"What did you think of the show, Elphaba?" Teenie asked as she tucked the girl into bed.

"It was amazifying!" Elphaba gushed.

"Do you think you'll like being part of our show and family?"

"Oh, I can't wait! I want to get started right away."

Teenie chuckled and blew out her lamp. "Well, first, we need to sleep so we'll wake up bright-eyed and fresh."

"Teenie?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I never apologized for stepping on your tail."

"Well, don't," said Teenie. "If you hadn't awoken me, you might have taken your apple, left, and then you'd never have become one of us."

She didn't think of that and burrowed her face into her blanket.

"Good night, Teenie."

"Good night, Elphaba. Fresh dreams."

Soon, Elphaba drifted to sleep and, for the first time in her life, dreamt fresh dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

**Space Address:** 2D - Childhood

**Bonus:** None

**Challenges:** In a Flash

**Stacked With:** Individual Challenges and Fills

**Word Count:** 935

**Warning:** None

**A/N:** the names of Fiyero's parents and sister are taken from vinkunwildflowerqueen. She's a great author, you should check her out. This is a very short chapter. I call it an exposition chapter. None of the others will be this short, I promise.

~o0o~

Fiyero was what his father called "a wild child," a "loose cannon," a "force of nature". But more often than anything else, he would always say "if that boy got on the right track, he could be a great king someday." And while Fiyero couldn't wait to grow up, the thought of being king seemed an impossible one. He was certain his father would live forever. Besides, just because he was the first-born son didn't mean that his older sister couldn't become Queen should she choose. She was much more serious than Fiyero. While he terrorized the tutors, she was studying sociology. It wasn't that he was stupid, he was just hyperactive and didn't like being treated like he was stupid. He liked to learn, but these monotonous men and women wanted to drone on about the same topic even after he understood it.

What the boy really enjoyed was the outdoors. Books were all well and fine for a rainy day, but they couldn't beat sleeping under the stars or hunting. When he was six, his father took him into the thick Vinkun forest to hunt. Fiyero cried at first at the thought of killing something, until his father told him that they wouldn't be killing anything. Instead, they sat along a deer trail and sat quietly and waited until they were approached by a doe. She had licked Fiyero behind the ear before moving on. It was supposed to be a lesson about patience and waiting for good things… but Fiyero got licked by a doe! It was the coolest moment of his little life and he had been addicted to the wild ever since. Something that would serve him well when he turned sixteen.

Whenever a Vinkun boy reached the age of sixteen he would be given the opportunity to earn his tattoos symbolizing manhood by completing the Wilderness Trials. He would spend six months in the wilderness fending only for himself. He was given a single satchel and anything he could fit in the satchel, he could bring with him. Not many did that anymore and most Vinkun boys got their tattoos on their birthdays. Not Fiyero. Fiyero was a foolhardy boy but if he was going to be king one day then he wanted to earn those tattoos. He would earn the highest ranking and most respected of tattoos. The time in the wilderness was usually spent solstice-to-solstice. Those who still did the Wilderness Trials usually picked Spring Solstice to Autumn Solstice so he could be guaranteed food. His main problems would be the summer heat and, quite possibly, a drought.

Not Fiyero.

Fiyero chose the Autumn Equinox to Spring Equinox, meaning he would have to survive the Vinkun Winter, which was the harshest season throughout all of Oz. If he survived, he would be given the royal blue diamonds.

In his satchel, he packed a hunting knife, a carving knife, a whetstone, a book on edible and poisonous plants, a tinder box, and (much to his father's amusement) a deck of cards.

"Do you expect to be playing Poker with a rabbit," Ibrahim, his father, asked in amusement.

"Well, I imagine I will be spending plenty of time alone," Fiyero reasoned. "I bet I'll get real good at solitaire."

Ibrahim chuckled then turned somber. "You're still a child Fiyero. When I was your age I thought I was ready to be a man. Looking back, I don't know how I ever thought I knew everything."

"You can't stop me from going."

"No, I can't," Ibrahim agreed. "I do want you to know, however, that there would be no shame if things got difficult and you had to return home. You're used to a very particular lifestyle, Fiyero."

"Then maybe this will get me un-used to it," Fiyero countered and pulled a warm poncho over his layers of traditional clothing. It was actually his mother's idea to layer up despite the autumn still being unusually warm.

"You're just trying to get out of school," his sister, Kastle, said teasingly.

It was no secret Fiyero hated school. He'd been through more private tutors than he could recall, none of them were able to keep up with this hyperactive child who preferred doodling to division. He knew how to do that stuff but he got bored easily and each one of the pompous prats who claimed to school the most upper of upper classes seemed keen on treating him like he was stupid. So he let them believe so if it meant getting them to leave faster.

"Oh, I'm sure Mother and Father are already preparing on filling up my lovely summer with catch up work," Fiyero teased back.

Kastle smiled and tossed her long, dark braid over her shoulder as she crossed the room to give her little brother a hug.

"Stay safe, dork-brain."

"Have fun in finishing school, booger-breath."

Kastle stuck her tongue out and walked with Fiyero and their parents to the edge of the city. It felt like the entire Vinkus was there to send their prince off on his journey before going back to their solstice celebrations.

"Be safe," said Kasmira, giving her son a hug tighter than any bear.

"I will, I promise," said Fiyero.

After their goodbyes, Fiyero walked up the hill towards the thick tree line. His stomach clenched with anxiety for the first time, but he knew there was no turning back. He was determined to earn his diamonds. Come next spring, he would get those blue tattoos marked in his ocher skin.

Fiyero would enter this forest a child and return a man.


	3. Chapter 3

**Space Address: **4C – Wind/Breeze

**Word Count:** 987

**Warnings:** Creepy old woman.

The six years Elphaba had been with the circus were some of the best years of her life. Never before had she felt more welcomed or accepted within a community. Just as Torrance had suggested, she was presented as a fairy that they had found deep in the forest and the audience ate it up. After the show, children were lining up to get a closer look at the fairy. Elphaba didn't care much for the attention but she preferred wonder to disgust.

It just started with her riding out on one of the Horses and waving to the crowd. Then, Torrance started training her in magic and Elphaba learned that she was good at it. When Torrance could make a stick turn into a bouquet, Elphaba could create blooms all around the tent. She incorporated her magic into her trapeze and tightrope act and soon she had her own poster. At first, she was scared that her father would come across one and go after her, but Teenie assured her that they would protect her if it ever came to that.

Elphaba's signature act incorporated a gust of wind that would give her the appearance of flying. She couldn't actually fly, that would require a much more powerful spell, but as far as everyone was concerned, she could and her "wings" were powerful enough to create small gusts. As time went on, Elphaba had grown to love the stage. It was the only time she felt celebrated and everyone loved her. True she would never belong in the real world, but she had a family here.

Everyone at the camp loved her.

Except Yackle.

Elphaba didn't know what the old crone's deal was. She lived in a freak show and there were plenty of people as strange as her. Still, Yackle never physically hurt her, so she didn't say anything, but she made it a point to never be alone with the woman.

Throughout the years, she would send Nessarose letters and hope that Father didn't throw them away. She kept them vague and mostly inquired after how her sister was doing. There was never a reply, but she didn't expect one.

The circus was always on the move and they saw the most wonderful cities of Oz.

One of Elphaba's favorite places she ever went to was the Emerald City. Nobody stared at her and she could walk anywhere freely. It was there where she found the perfect gift for Nessa. Lurlinemas was next month and post was slow.

She found the most beautiful pair of earrings made of ornately twisted gold and imbedded with emeralds. She spent most of her money on them and had them gift wrapped as well. She barely had enough time to buy the rare postcard before she was called back to the train.

As she sat down to write, she found one of the newbies, Karl, going through her things.

"HEY!" she shouted, snatching her sister's hair comb from him. "Keep your hands to yourself or you'll be juggling with your feet from here on."

Huffing, Elphaba grabbed a satchel Teenie got her for her birthday and stuffed her favorite possessions into it. Nessa's comb, her little green bottle, the book of short stories she was reading, and, in a lapse of concentration, some carrots and apples, though she wasn't sure why.

"Miss Elphaba, I need you for a dress fitting," said Lettie.

"What else is new?" Elphaba teased and followed her to the car with their costumes and some of their props.

Her new costume looked absolutely beautiful. A short dress that looked as if it were made of leaves.

"You've outdone yourself again, Lettie," said Elphaba, clasping the cloak made of gossamer and silk flowers over her shoulders before admiring herself inn the mirror. "I actually feel attractive in this."

"Long live Queen Elphaba," said Lettie, chuckling.

Half of the troop gathered in one of the Animal cars and opened the doors to watch the first snow. Still in costume, Elphaba sat on a barrel and wrote out her note to her sister, the wind howling outside.

_My dear Nessie,_

_I'm on the move again. I still think of you every day. I'm still happy where I am and I hope this comes in time for Lurinemas. I saw them and thought they were so beautiful. I_

"Look! You can see the Emerald City in the distance," said Teenie, pointing.

Grinning, Elphaba set her postcard down and placed the gift on top of it to keep it from blowing away. Their train was currently blasting through the mountains of the Vinkus and the view was spectacular underneath the full moon. The Vinkus was so big, it would take them months to travel through it factoring in rehearsals and performances.

The train jumped and Elphaba felt herself suspended in midair, like when she fell from the trapeze. This time… there was no net.

"ELPHABA!" Birch shouted, stretching his paw out in vain.

~o0o~

"Miss Nessarose," Nanny called. "Another postcard and present."

Nessa wheeled into the foyer and snatched the postcard and gift from Nanny before Father could confiscate them. She opened the present and sighed in awe.

"Those are lovely, Miss Nessarose," said Nanny. "Would you like me to put them in your jewelry box?"

"Yes." Nessa turned the postcard over and read the note.

_My dear Nessie,_

_I'm on the move again. I still think of you every day. I'm still happy where I am and I hope this comes in time for Lurinemas. I saw them and thought they were so beautiful. I_

**Miss Nessie, I am so sorry to tell you this, but Miss Elphaba has fallen from our train and could not be recovered. We are making sure you receive the gift and her note. She loved you very much, Miss Nessie.**

— **Birch**

Nessarose dropped the postcard in her lap.

Elphaba was gone…

Forever.


	4. Chapter 4

**Space Address: 1D - Warmth**

**Word Count:** 1715

**Warnings: **Starvation, frostbite

The Wilderness Trials were more difficult than Fiyero could have imagined. Autumn was fine and he was able to stockpile on food, but he had to learn how to ration. He had to learn how to hunt without dogs sniffing out for him. And the books illustrations on poisonous and non-poisonous vegetation needed a serious update. Still, he managed to find a cave in the first week which he discovered had been used by many Vinkuns before him. Some even left behind supplies they'd made or brought like a clay pot and a bow.

Then the snow came, and food became even more difficult to find. Sometimes he went days without finding anything and resorted to eating tree bark if only to get something in his stomach.

One morning, on a rare day of sunlight, he found rabbit tracks and followed the trail to the stream where he got his water. He then became distracted by something shiny in the stream. He drew closer and found a decorative comb in the shape of a dragonfly. It was embedded with rubies and pearls but seemed small for the usual comb of this extravagance. Almost as if it were made for a child. He stuffed it in his satchel and, a few feet down, found a fresh apple which he instantly put away.

The farther he went along the bank, the more odd objects he found in or under the snow as if they'd been there since last night's snow. A deflated ball, some carrots, a waterlogged diary, and, finally, a shoe. It looked as if it were made of flower petals. He tugged on it and was shocked to find a foot come with it.

Fiyero cried out and fell promptly on his butt. He sat there stunned. The foot was connected to a leg, but the skin… it was green. Fiyero didn't know dead bodies were green. He cried out again, no doubt scaring anything worth eating for miles, when the foot moved. This person was alive. Fiyero scrambled over and began digging. The snow must've kept their body heat contained enough to keep them alive, though he could've sworn frostbitten pale people turned blue.

Soon they were freed and Fiyero exhaled softly. It was a girl and she appeared to just really be green. Her raven hair partially covered her face, but he guessed she was around his age. Perhaps a year younger. She was dressed in a short dress like crushed violets that was not at all practical for this weather. And he remembered the stories he grew up with of the fae. This girl must've been one.

"Don't worry, miss," he said. "I'll help you."

Shedding his animal-skin coat, he wrapped her up in it and carried her back to his cave.

~o0o~

When She regained consciousness, her entire body hurt. What happened to her? She couldn't've been dead. If she were dead, she probably wouldn't hurt so much. Where was she? She remembered… a pair of hands. Not groping her, but gentle. Brushing her hair from her face, lifting her head up to drink something, and wrapping her up in warmth.

She was still wrapped in warmth, even though her body ached.

Where was she?

Forcing her eyes open, she turned her head as much as she could though she felt as if she needed an oil can to do so.

She was in a cave of some sort. A low fire crackled in her line of vision.

When she tried, she found she could stiffly move and even sit up. It just hurt like hell.

What happened to her?

Wracking her brain, she found she couldn't remember anything.

Not even her name.

She was sure it would come to her.

She wrapped the blanket around her and crawled towards a pile of things. Books, crude cooking utensils, clay pots, a single iron pan, some clothes, hunting supplies. This green bottle looked familiar…

"You're awake."

Jumping at the sound, the whirled around and backpedaled into the end of the cave. She couldn't make out the figure at the mouth until he came closer, illuminated by the fire.

It was a boy. He had curly hair and aquamarine eyes, his ochre skin covered in a heavy layer of furs and skins. Necessary in this cold weather. She wished she were dressed in that than this gossamer dress.

"I was worried about you," he said. "You've been out like this for days."

When he got closer, She closed her eyes and shied away, curling in tighter into herself.

"Hey… I'm not going to hurt you," He had such a gentle voice, she almost wanted to believe him. "I found you. By the river. You were hurt pretty bad. What happened to you?"

She dared to look at him again and found him sitting a good distance away from her. She felt a little bit better and stared at him fully.

"Are you a fae?"

What was a fae?

"Do you… talk?"

She was sure she did, but the words didn't want to pass through her lips. It still felt as if hands were grasped tightly around her throat.

"It's okay," he said. "I've been on my own for about two months now, so I'm okay with talking for both of us. I'm Fiyero by the way."

Fiyero. She felt her lips mouth his name.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. "All you've really had were soups and water. I tried making you tea, but you spat it in my face. It was hilarious."

Fiyero was feeding her and tending to her. She titled her head slightly and looked at everything with the silent question.

"I don't live here," he said. "Not permanently. I'm trying to earn my diamonds," he explained. "In the Vinkus, you aren't a man until you spend time in the wilderness fending for yourself and if you die, then you die. You're allowed one bag of things to bring with you and everything else you have to make yourself, but here it looks like it's tradition to leave something behind for the next guy. I have to stay here until spring. If I come home before the Spring Equinox, then I don't get my diamonds. Most guys get them without this, but I'm not most guys."

She could tell. A memory of people laughing at her flashed in her mind. Gasping sharply, she held her hands up defensively when an image of someone throwing a rock at her followed.

"Did I say something?"

She shook her head. When she opened her eyes, Fiyero placed a bowl of food halfway between her and the fire.

"I don't know what fae eat," he said. "I mashed up some sweet root and blueberries for you. Try it."

Crawling forward, She snatched the bowl and huddled back into her corner. Sniffing the food and deciding it wasn't poisonous, she dipped her finger in and tried it. It was… pretty good. She hungrily ate the rest of it, scooping every last bit out of the bowl.

"I don't have much more to give you," said Fiyero apologetically when she looked at him again. "It's winter and we have to ration."

Ration. She knew what that word meant. She nodded and placed the bowl where he left it.

"I'm going to call you 'Fae' from now on," he said. "Until you can tell me your real name."

Fae was fine.

"You still look kinda tired," he said. "I can be quiet if you want to sleep more."

Sleep was enticing, but she was still scared. Huddling up against the wall, she stared him down until exhaustion overtook her.

When Fae woke again, there was a bundle of clothes next to her and Fiyero was nowhere to be found. Disrobing as quickly as she could, she dressed into the clothes he left her. They were a little big, but significantly warmer than the dress she was in.

While by herself, she read one of the five books. This one was about plants.

"Good afternoon, Fae," Fiyero greeted. "It was a pretty good hunting day. I cooked and dried the meat outside since it can smell kinda bad."

That was considerate of him. Fae glanced up from her book.

"Do those clothes fit you okay?" he asked. "Are you warm enough?"

She nodded and played with a bit of her hair shyly. Not that she remembered a lot of people, but he seemed to be on the more attractive side. Well, she found him attractive. He grinned and got the fire going again.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked. "You don't look like you're in much pain."

Fae wiggled her hand side-to-side. She hurt, but she managed. Fiyero nodded and placed a waterskin near her then backed away. She grabbed it and gulped down the water inside, cringing at the ache in her throat.

Fiyero sat down on the opposite side of the fire.

"I don't mind sharing my cave with you," he said. "At least until you find your family. Do you know where they are?"

Did she even have a family?

Fae shook her head slightly.

When she wasn't hurting as much, she insisted on helping him gather food. She found she was pretty good at judging soil for roots. She had vague memories of gardening, but she wasn't sure where. Fiyero claimed she knew because fae were born from trees.

At night, he would regale her with stories and folktales of his people. Fae knew who the Vinkuns were. She didn't know _how_ she knew, but she knew a lot of things. Just not about herself.

One evening, while he was singing a song to her, Fae got up and sat down beside him.

"I'm glad I found you, Fae," he said. "I think I might've gone insane if I were here by myself." He paused. "Though… seeing a green-skinned girl who doesn't talk might be a hallucination in and of itself."

Elphaba huffed a laugh and whispered hoarsely, "I'm real."

Fiyero looked at her in surprise and laughed.

"I was worried for a minute there I was going to be talking to myself all winter after all."

Elphaba shook her head, leaned closer to him, and closed her eyes. "Tell me another story."

"Certainly."


	5. Chapter 5

**Space Address:** 2E – Rabbit/Hare

**Word Count:** 1822

**Warnings:** Blood; chasing

**AN:** I am actually surprised y'all like this. I'm just sitting here like, "you love him? You're fifteen! Calm down!" And_ I'm_ the author.

~o0o~

Elphaba woke up with a sharp gasp. Where was she? Two arms were wrapped around her.

"What's the matter?" someone murmured into her shoulder.

Wriggling out of his grasp, she scrambled away and looked around wildly.

The cave…

That's right… she was with Fiyero. A Vinkun boy who saved her. She had fallen from a train. Her name was Elphaba. She was a circus performer… that was all she remembered. Nothing from before that. She hoped everyone was okay. Birch, Torrance, Wilu… Teenie would definishly miss her.

"Fae?"

Elphaba stared into the coals and wracked her brain for more information.

"You look cold," said Fiyero, crawling over and wrapping his arms around her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Yero." Elphaba leaned back into him. "I just remembered who I was."

"Oh?"

"I'm just hoping everyone is okay."

"Are you going to leave?" he asked.

"We're traveling the Vinkus until late spring," said Elphaba. "Our last stop is the… I don't remember the name, but it's where the royal family lives."

"What a coincidence, that's where I'm heading at the Spring Equinox," said Fiyero. "Arjiki. It's named after the tribe that settled there."

"I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"Shouldn't you be going through this process alone?"

Fiyero chuckled and kissed her cheek. "The rules state that no one from my _tribe_ may assist me in this time. They said nothing about assistance from fae."

"Do you still believe I'm not Ozian?" she asked. "I'm from the _circus_ not a race of green women from the forest. That means I'm a _freak_."

"You're _unique_," he rested his chin on her shoulder. "You don't have to return to the circus. You could come home with me. I'll take care of you."

Elphaba scoffed.

"I'm not a stray pet, Yero."

"I didn't say you were," he said. "I just want you to be happy."

"Who says I wasn't happy with the circus?" she challenged. "They aren't small-minded jerks like people are."

Fiyero leaned back and chuckled. "You're mean with your memory."

Elphaba rolled her eyes, picked up his spear, and threw it at him. He caught it and used it to get to his feet.

"Message read loud and clear."

"I'll think about it," Elphaba said just as he was leaving.

He smiled at her and cleared the snow away.

Once he was gone, Elphaba pulled her own cloak on and sheathed the knife Fiyero brought with him in the holster at her hip. The forest was blue in the shade meaning it was still early. Elphaba quietly made her way through the forest, foraging for roots and berries. Meat was all fine and well, but it could get hard on the stomach.

Besides, Elphaba didn't care much for meat (except fish) which probably perpetuated Fiyero's idea that she was a fae.

For all she knew, she really was a fae that joined the circus.

As she scoured through the snow, she didn't find much. A couple persistent sprouts, but not enough for food.

When the sun rose, the ice began to melt. A good sign. Elphaba took a deep breath and watched it on the air. A crack echoed through the woods and an arrow appeared out of nowhere, landing in a nearby tree. Shoddily made but effective.

Fear catching in her throat, Elphaba ran. She was still nimble from her time as an acrobat and easily ran over fallen trees, through thickets, and over streams.

Whoever fired the arrow, pursued, shooting several more after her, nicking her arm. She didn't want to face and fight whoever was after her. They were heavy. And loud.

Grabbing the horn from her hip, she blew into it hard. Fiyero carved it for her in case she needed him.

Wait… she was an acrobat!

Elphaba dropped the horn as a rock whizzed by and scaled up one of the massive Quoxwood trees. Hiding amongst the branches, she found some overlapping and leapt across. She managed through several trees and hid against one of the trunks.

The figure passed below her trunk and disappeared.

Waiting until the footsteps faded, she climbed down and headed back to camp.

"Gotcha!"

Elphaba flung her hands up and threw the intruder against a tree with her magic. She continued running, releasing a shriek when two hands grabbed her, one of them clamping over her mouth.

"Shh! Fae, it's me."

Elphaba relaxed and he removed his hand.

"What happened? I heard you call me."

"There's someone else here," she panted. "They've been chasing me." She showed him her bleeding arm.

The crashing resounded through the woods once more.

"I'll take care of it," said Fiyero pressing a kiss to her lips. "Stay down in the den here."

Elphaba looked into it and shimmied her way in.

"Excuse me!"

Stifling a yelp, Elphaba adjusted her position.

"Who's here?" she whispered.

"I am!"

A sleepy looking Rabbit came into her line of vision, blinking against the small stream of sunlight.

"Who're you?" she asked. "A fae?"

"Um… yes." Elphaba peered out. "I'm being followed by a hunter. I'm sorry for disturbing your rest, ma'am."

"Oh, well, that's fine then. Block the entrance on your way out," the Rabbit readjusted herself and was snoring a couple moments later.

Elphaba sat in the burrow until it was sunset. By then, she feared the worst. Moving as quietly as she could, she crawled out and followed Fiyero's footsteps, drawing the knife at her ankle. There was a scuffle… a bit of blood… and then they walked side-by-side.

She followed the path until they diverged. Which footsteps were Fiyero's? She knelt down and studied them. Fiyero made his winter boots to fit over his regular shoes which made them bigger. They had no ridges. The ones to the left were smaller and had ridges. The steps were also deeper in the snow revealing someone less experienced in making as little noise as possible.

Deciding on the larger pair, Elphaba followed them.

A scream echoed through the forest. Fiyero. Drawing her knife, she ran towards his direction. When she found him, a bear had him pinned to the ground.

"No!" Elphaba leapt onto the bears back. "Stop! Let him go!"

The bear threw her off and turned to her. He wasn't a Bear, that much was for certain. According to Birch, Bears had as much of a problem with bears. It was easy for a Bear to go bear, but a bear couldn't become Bear. This one was all bear judging by its dark eyes while Bears' were more expressive.

"Fae, run!" Fiyero shouted, trying to get to his feet. "Go West!"

"No! I won't leave you!"

"Run!"

The bear smacked Fiyero, knocking him out cold, and turned to the green girl.

Elphaba raised her hands defensively.

"_STOP!"_

The bear froze in place, paw raised.

"_Turn around and go home,"_ Elphaba ordered, her voice reverberating. _"Leave us alone."_

Growling, he turned and shambled away. Elphaba fell to Fiyero's side. He was breathing heavily and had a nasty gash in his shoulder, some cuts on his face and lip, and a bump on his head.

"Fiyero? Fiyero!"

He groaned.

"I'll… I'll get you home," she said, pulling his hood over his head and slinging his bow, arrows, and game bag around her. His shaft of his spear was broken in two, she she let it be.

Grabbing onto the ends of his cloak, she dragged him along the ground. It was slow going and, as insult to injury, it began to snow.

Elphaba got Fiyero back to the cave late into the night. By then, she was perspiring through her clothes and Fiyero was shivering violently.

Working quickly, she tended to his injuries first. She was used to being an onsite medic at the circus since injuries could happen anytime. Elphaba compacted snow on it first to stop the bleeding and dug around his things hoping to find bandages.

Urgh! The idiot didn't pack any…. Moss! Elphaba ran back out into the snow and found one of the trees that was growing moss despite the winter. Collecting as much as she could, she squished the moisture out between two rocks and laid it over the worst of his wound.

"It's okay, Fiyero," she whispered, brushing his hair back and laying down next to him to get his body temperature up. "I'll take care of you."

She settled in closer and sang softly to him all night.

Fiyero woke up a couple days later. Elphaba had taken over food gathering and tried hunting but cried when she killed the squirrel.

"Fae?" he croaked.

"Yero…" she breathed and went to his side.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

Elphaba laughed. "I'm fine. You were the one attacked by a bear."

"Chased him away from my friend," Fiyero said, coughing. "Apparently, a buddy of mine in the Arjiki tribe started his Journey to Manhood."

"I thought it was Equinox to Equinox?"

"Some do Solstice to Solstice," he explained. "The type of Equinox to Equinox I'm doing will earn me diamonds of the highest honor."

"Why did he chase me?"

"He thought you were an animal," he said. "After fighting him off, I led him away. Don't want him hurting my Fae."

"_Your_ fae?" she scoffed.

"Well… I'd like to think of myself as _your_ Yero. Is that wrong?"

"Well… when you put it like that."

"I found you a gift when I was hunting."

"Yeah?"

Fiyero reached into his quiver, grunting slightly when he moved and withdrew a flower. It was slightly crumpled and a petal was missing, but it was a beautiful shade of red.

Elphaba blushed when he stuck it in her hair.

"Fae, will you come home with me?" he asked, taking her hand and kissing it.

"I'll think about it."

Fiyero recovered, the snow began to melt, and food became easier to find. As the Spring Equinox drew close, Fiyero began practicing a dance for his ceremony. He taught Elphaba the dance as well. She said it was rather odd, but he told her it was better with the actual music. He told her about his mum, Kasmira, and dad, Ibrahim, and his older sister, Kastle.

Each night, he would ask Elphaba to return home with him.

Each night, she would say, "I'll think about it."

Each day, it felt more and more like she was saying yes. Yes to his gentle hands, his kind eyes, his crooked grin, and irritating questions. Dare she say it… she was in love. And she dared to believe Fiyero loved her, too.

The night before the Equinox, they were able to lay in a grassy knoll and watch the stars, each making up ridiculous stories about made up constellations. As they were on the verge of falling asleep, Fiyero plucked a Poppy from the ground and placed it into her hair.

"Fae… will you come home with me tomorrow?" he asked.

Elphaba brushed her hand across his cheek.

"I will."


	6. Chapter 6

**Space Address: 3D - Gold**

**Word Count: 2214**

**Warnings: Angst. Slight OOC characters, but like… just wait one more chapter.**

**Okay, now I have the right chapter. God, I'm dumb this is the second time I did this.**

~o0o~

Finally, the day came for Fiyero to return home. He claimed that the ceremony where he received his diamonds would be private and celebrated the following day. Besides, he would need a real meal and a good cleaning to prepare for that. At dawn, they packed their satchels, but left behind the book on plants for the next person to find. Elphaba and Fiyero held hands as they made their way through the woods.

The rising sun cast a golden glow, the longer they walked.

"Do you think your parents will like me?" Elphaba asked.

"They're going to love you," he assured her.

"How exactly do you plan on taking care of me?" she asked.

"Well, I was thinking a glass jar with a twig and a leaf inside."

Elphaba nudged him with her elbow. "I'm serious."

"Well, we're not poor," he said. "We've got plenty of room."

"You know… if you are upper class, people might not be so… accepting of me."

"You underestimate the Vinkus." He squeezed her hand. "We're not as small-minded as some of our neighbors and we have the highest numbers of refugees in all of Oz. A fae won't be out of place, I promise."

His naivete and certainty almost made her believe him.

The last leg of their journey involved climbing a tall hill that was just two steps away from being a mountain according to Fiyero. Elphaba slipped and stumbled a bit, still not used to the terrain.

"Come on," he said. "We're almost there. It's not too bad."

"I can walk a tightrope forty feet in the air yet I can hardly climb a mountain," she panted.

"Hill."

"You said two steps away from a mountain, I have a smaller stride than you."

"Point taken."

As soon as they reached the top, Elphaba sighed. Fiyero's home was filled with beautiful buildings, unlike any she had ever seen, tall and stacked, with many staircases and most painted a stunning blues, reds, and greens, and gold-colored rooftops that seemed to glow with their own light. Beautiful mosaics decorating government buildings and colored tarps over market stalls could be seen weaving through the streets. Overlooking the city was a large castle, surrounded by a moat. It wasn't as elegant as some of the castles she had seen but it was definishly formidable.

"Wow…" she breathed. "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so," he said. "A lot of people like to think we're barbarians."

"Just because you keep your traditions? That isn't right."

He shrugged and took her hand. "I don't really care what they think. I'm going to stick to my beliefs."

"And that's one of the reasons why I love you," she said. "So, which one is your house?"

"The big one."

Elphaba peered down at the large houses and manors dotting the outskirts of the city.

"Which one?" She pointed to a blue manor with a giant garden. "That one?"

He chuckled and guided her finger to the castle.

"Try that one."

Oh… oh, no.

"S-so… you're an apprentice?"

"I guess… in a way… I'm an apprentice to the throne."

Elphaba twitched.

"You're a prince."

"Yes."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"Fae, it isn't a big deal. I'm still the same person."

No… no, no, no… this was a huge deal. Of course Fiyero was a prince, why would he choose the most difficult path to manhood if it wasn't to prove himself worthy of the Arjiki throne? And he was bringing home a stray circus freak? She wasn't royal material. The only thing she was queen of was the trapeze.

"Are you okay?"

"I— I'm fine… it'll just be weird being around people again."

"I understand," he said. "Well, come on."

Elphaba lifted her hood and followed him down to the city. As they walked through the streets, people bowed before Fiyero and there was chatter about news of his return.

Since she kept her head down, she didn't attract attention away from the prince. When they reached the gates of the castle and the guards shouted about his return, Elphaba felt dread and doubt open in her stomach.

The gates opened and Fiyero ran to greet his family, hugging them tightly. His mother was beautiful, dark and elegant. His father was broad and formidable, with diamonds on his temples and white tattoos on his cheeks. His little sister was the spitting image of her mother, though instead of curls, her hair was twisted into tiny braids.

All of them were so… _Royal_.

Elphaba knew she couldn't do this to him. He needed someone who could fit the royal line. Not a green nobody who couldn't remember her past beyond the circus. The Fairy Queen of the _Trapeze_. She backed away and turned quickly before they could spot her and disappeared easily into the crowd.

"Fae!" she heard Fiyero shout.

She didn't flinch. She didn't look back. All she wanted to do was find her troop. Glancing around, she found a poster.

_Torrance's Circus Spectacular!_

They were here! Elphaba rushed through the city to the edge where, hopefully, they would still be. The poster said the final performance was tomorrow night. Elphaba pushed her way through the crowds to the end of the city.

As soon as she saw the familiar white tents, Elphaba walked faster and faster before breaking out into a run without so much as sparing a glance behind her. As she approached, she saw Birch practicing his juggling act.

"Birch!" she cried.

He dropped the pins and turned to face her.

"Miss Elphaba!" He caught her into a massive hug. "Oh… Miss Elphaba, we thought you were dead." He looked around. "Everyone! Miss Elphaba is alive!"

Everyone stopped their work or came out of tents to see what the fuss was about. When they saw their token green girl, they broke into cheers and each insisted on giving her a giant hug.

"Miss Elphaba!" Torrance cried. "It hasn't been the same without you. What happened to you? When you fell, I tried to stop the train, but there was an avalanche preventing us from turning back."

"I was saved by a Vinkun boy," said Elphaba. "I had amnesia for a while but when I regained my memories it was too dangerous for me to try and find you. I couldn't navigate my way through those woods."

"Well, you're here now," said Teenie, kissing her on the forehead. "That's all that matters. Come, you look like you need a nice, hot bath."

"You smell like you need a bath," said Wilu. She smiled and gave Elphaba a hug. "I missed you. This place isn't the same without you."

After her bath, Elphaba put on her practice attire and wore her blue and gold dressing gown over it. It felt good to be clean again and her hair had a shine back to it. Teenie insisted on sticking by her all day and made sure she was eating small, frequent meals. After her stint in the woods, she was thinner than ever and that worried the Lioness.

"I'm fine, Teenie," Elphaba insisted. "I promise."

Elphaba wasn't quite ready to be back on the tightrope. She had fallen off twice during practice and Torrance didn't want her to get hurt. He claimed that the Queen of the Fae could wait until the next town.

"Besides, there's plenty of royalty here," he said. "I received word that the Royal family is attending the circus tonight! The prince had returned from some sort of coming of age thing and insisted going out before the ceremony tomorrow!"

Elphaba felt her heartbeat quicken. Fiyero was coming here and he was bringing his family.

"Really?" she squeaked.

Torrance mistook her squeak of anxiety for one of excitement.

"Don't worry!" he said. "You can just wait backstage."

Elphaba nodded and wandered off. What was she going to do? He would surely see her and if he asked her to come with him again, she might not have the strength to let him go. Nobody paid her much attention after that, all too busy to make sure they would be on their top game. If they had the royal seal of approval, then their popularity would increase and they might be able to charge more per ticket in the upper class areas.

The sun was already setting and that meant people were arriving to fill the seats. Where had the day gone? Just that morning she was in the middle of nowhere and now she was back in the bustle as if she had never left. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She wouldn't be balancing high above the crowd tonight. Nobody gave her a job, so she just stayed out of sight. Not that she was noticed anyway. There were plenty of people there as odd as her.

Despite the Spring, a chill hung in the air the farther the sun set. Elphaba was about to go to her tent when she heard her name.

"Fae!"

Elphaba whirled around to see Fiyero. He hugged her tightly, then took her hand.

"Why did you disappear?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking aside. "I just… I got overwhelmed. Fiyero, you should just forget about me. You can't bring a circus freak into the palace, what if our relationship grows? What if we get married? What will the people think?"

"Lucky guy?"

"Yero, I'm serious."

"So am I," he said. "Listen, I get why you're scared, but I think all those reasons are bad reasons. You love me, right?"

"Yes."

"And I love you, too. Meet me tonight and I'll convince you that us being together will be a good thing."

"Fiyero…"

"There's a lake not too far from here. I'll sneak away and meet you there when the moon is high. Okay?"

Elphaba sighed and nodded. "Okay."

He grinned and pressed his forehead to hers. "I should probably go before my parents come looking for me. Promise you'll be there?"

"I promise," she said.

He took off his cloak ad wrapped it around her.

"You look cold."

He kissed her lightly and ran off.

"This is crazy," Elphaba huffed and stormed to her tent. "Absolutely mad."

She found her suitcase and was touched that nobody threw her things away. She flung it open and threw her clothes in it.

"There is no way the kingdom will accept you," she continued. "Least of all Fiyero's parents. Sure, he makes me believe I deserve nice things, but do I really? For all I know, I just fell out of a tree and into existence."

She stacked her books on top of her clothes.

"Do I love him, absolutely, but we're still teenagers. For all I know, we'll hate each other in a few years." She pulled the hood of his cloak over her head and faltered. "I deserve this."

She repeated it over and over to herself like a mantra. She deserved happiness, she deserved an education, and she definishly deserved Fiyero.

"Do you deserve him?" an old voice creaked.

Elphaba spun around to see Yackle standing in the entrance to her tent. The old woman had never liked Elphaba. It always felt like the old crone was out to get her. She lifted her head defiantly.

"Yes," she said. "I do."

"Well, then, let's see if he deserves you."

Yackle pressed Fiyero's cloak over Elphaba's eyes and chanted a spell. Colors swirled in the young woman's vision. Red, black, green… she saw the hem of a blue dress, corn fields, and Fiyero's lifeless, mangled form hung from a cross like a scarecrow. His head hung against his chest and blood dripped down his face.

FIYERO!

"No!" Elphaba gasped when the vision disappeared. She ripped the hood back and glared at Yackle.

"Was it grim, dearie?"

"Y-you're lying!" Elphaba snapped. "It can't be true!"

"My magic lies in showing the future," said Yackle. "I don't do illusions like Torrance."

Elphaba considered this path. She had read that the future diverged in many way and one vision wouldn't necessarily come true. Who knows… just meeting him this one last time… If she met him again, maybe that future wouldn't happen. Maybe her being with him would prevent it. Was she willing to take that risk, though? She knew in her heart that she would always want to return to him. If she ever saw him again, she would run into his arms and never let him go.

Because of that… he might possibly die.

And it would be her fault.

"I can't just forget about him," she whispered.

"Oh, poor child," said Yackle, resting a withered hand on Elphaba's shoulder. "Of course you can."

A sharp pain in Elphaba's skull caused her to collapse.

~o0o~

It took some time, but Fiyero finally managed to evade the guards and sneak out of the castle. He ran all the way down to the lake with a fist full of poppies and a heart full of hope. His parents didn't believe him when he told them of the fae he met in the woods, but tomorrow they would see.

Sucking in the cold night air, Fiyero took a seat on a fallen tree to wait for his Fae to arrive.

He waited.

And waited…

And waited.


	7. Chapter 7

**Space Address: E2 - Sacrifice**

**Word Count: 1020**

**Warnings: None**

**AN: Short chapter is exposition chapter. **

Elphaba had changed after her time lost in the forests of the Vinkus. Whenever she was asked what had happened to her, she couldn't really say. She had feelings of scavenging for roots and, when she was particularly desperate, cooking meat over a fire. She knew she was cold, hungry, and scared, but if when Wilu asked her where she slept at night, she couldn't say. When Teenie asked how she found them again, she didn't know. And when Birch asked if she had met anyone, she wasn't sure.

Her memories of before she found the circus were gone forever, but for some reason that wasn't her reason for her restless nights. She was content with believing that she had fallen out of a tree and was adopted by a Lioness and a Bear. She wasn't sure why she couldn't sleep.

Everyone noticed the change that had come over their token fairy queen. No longer was she the shy, sweet child that looked upon the world with wonder. Now she was cold, surly, and no nonsense. She threw herself into whatever work she could find and snapped at anyone who tried to pry into her personal business. The only people she was soft towards anymore were Teenie, Birch, and Wilu. Anyone else received sharp looks and sharper words.

Her friends became her books and she began to yearn for more.

On her seventeenth birthday, Teenie was brushing Elphaba's long, black tresses out after yet another successful show.

"Teenie, do you think there's more to life than this?" she asked.

"More to life than what?" Teenie asked.

"Dancing for peanuts."

"Who could ask for anything more?" Teenie replied. "We have warm beds, a nice fire, food, and friends. We might not be in the lap of luxury, but we have what we need."

"I just… I want to do more than dance," said Elphaba. "I want to do good. I want to bring Animals back the rights they've lost, I want to be a voice for the voiceless. I can't do that without a higher education."

"You want to go to university?"

"Yes… but that costs money. I don't think I have enough saved up for one semester. That and I don't think they would accept my homeschooling." Elphaba looked down at her hands. "I'm going to be a circus freak for the rest of my life."

"At least you won't be boring," Teenie teased, not taking offense to the circus freak comment. "Listen, Baba, you have more brains than the best thinkers in the Emerald City. You can do anything you put your mind to. You just have to trust in your family to guide you. We will support you in whatever you choose."

"Thanks, Teenie," said Elphaba. "I think I'm going to go to bed now."

"Alright. Goodnight my sweet."

Teenie's whiskers tickled her forehead.

"Goodnight, Teenie."

Elphaba hugged her tightly before going to bed. She curled up under the covers and prepared herself for another restless night.

Another year passed and Elphaba's longing for a proper education had not diminished, but that wasn't at the forefront of her mind. Torrance and Teenie had been missing since yesterday and no one would tell her where they went. They just kept insisting she help prepare for the college crowd. They were just outside of Shiz University.

Elphaba had dressed in her usual fairy get up and was helping Wilu do her hair when they were approached by Torrance, Teenie, and Birch.

"Miss Elphaba," said Torrance. "I've been told that you wanted to move on to a more respectable career. Get you an education."

"Yes," said Elphaba.

"Well, my dear, your wish is going to come true."

"What?"

"Why don't you tell her?" Torrance suggested.

Teenie smiled and took Elphaba's hands. "We spoke with the head Shiztress Madame Morrible, she and Torrance actually go way back. In order to attend Shiz for in-country tuition, you have to live there for three years. Birch and I put together our savings and bought a diner with living quarters, plus Torrance purchased the Oz-Dust Ballroom to send smaller acts to for a bit of extra money. These next three years you will brush up on basic education and work with us in the diner, then you'll be able to attend Shiz."

"Are you serious?" Elphaba whispered. "I… you and Birch love the circus."

"We do," Birch agreed. "But we aren't getting any younger. This is an opportunity for us to settle down and you can get the education you deserve."

"That's right," said Torrance. "I'll be sad to see you all leave, but we're family and family supports one another. Just don't forget us when you become successful."

"I could never forget you."

"Everyone can you give me a moment with Elphie?"

Teenie nodded and took over fixing Wilu's hair while Birch went off to prepare the opening act. Torrance slung an arm around Elphaba's shoulders making her crouch slightly.

"Now listen Elphaba," he said becoming serious. "You are the most powerful witch I have ever met in all my years. Most witches have to choose a singular form such as weather or illusions, but you have the ability to perform a wide range. You must not let anyone, especially Morrible know your abilities."

"Why not?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

"She'll stop at nothing to use you," he said. "She's a woman hungry for power and she handpicks students she thinks are special and important enough to further her agenda. Now, I told her that when you apply you will be a valuable asset to the gymnastics team. Good sports teams always make a school look good. You'll get your education whatever your heart desires, but you'll have to keep up your acrobatics."

"If Morrible is so dangerous then why choose Shiz?" Elphaba asked.

"They have the highest acceptance rate out of all the top schools and Morrible owes me a favor," he replied. "I want you to have your chance, Elphaba. Promise me you'll hide your magic from Morrible."

"I promise," she said.

"Good girl. Now let's go out with a bang."


	8. Chapter 8

**What happens when you listen to Waitress, Wicked, and the Greatest Showman on loop for months on end? This fic is what happens. It's a train-wreck but I can't stop writing it.**

**Space address: **E4 - Bundle

**Word Count:** 1921

**Warnings: None**

The diner was in a new fashion with black and white tiled floors, red leather seating, neon signage, and sharp lines in the décor. It had a new-age feeling to it that Elphaba rather liked. It pretty much screamed "notice me" amongst all the nouveau and classical buildings. The perfect place for their odd little family.

Since Teenie and Birch couldn't technically work in the kitchens, they hired on Bramble (Bram for short), a Quadling who dropped out of Shiz but was too embarrassed to return home. Birch and Teenie managed the place and Elphaba became a waitress.

People came to jeer and laugh at the "circus-freaks" but stayed for the good food. Pretty soon, they had regulars who seemed to forget why they hated the people and Animals serving them.

Working at the diner, Elphaba discovered another talent aside from magic and acrobatics.

Baking.

She came upon this talent by accident. The bakery they normally got their pies from had to close down due to a kitchen fire, so Elphaba decided to try her hand at it. After all, how hard could it be to make a pie?

It was extremely hard to make a pie, but she managed, and by the end of the day their display was empty.

She could tell an entire story with one pie. The act of making, kneading, and rolling out the dough soothed her and before long she had eight mead journals filled with recipes, trials and errors, and new ideas for new treats. Bram enjoyed the company in the kitchen, though he and Elphaba didn't really talk much which was fine by her.

She made fruit pies, cream pies, cakes, and on special occasions she made pastries. She began to accumulate as many recipe books as academic ones, and for birthdays and Lurlinemases she would get a new tool to make baking easier, aprons, or recipe books.

Elphaba would never tell anyone this, but she loved watching people eat what she made. Their eyes would close and they would sigh as if reliving their happiest memory.

That was as close as she got to these people. The most socializing she got was when she bartended at the Oz-Dust ballroom or had to go to the grocery store.

The permanent citizens grew used to Elphaba, Teenie, and Birch as well as they could. At the very least they were included in town meetings and were allowed inside all business establishments. It wasn't perfect, there was always some person or another who wanted to "drive the freaks away" but nothing ever came of it. It didn't make the words hurt any less, but it was comforting to know the majority didn't expect them to go anywhere else.

They often got students on scholarship for extra help during the school year. Students who needed money for class and living expenses.

The three year minimum for in-country tuition was fast approaching and Elphaba was trying to figure out her entry essay. In-state students got four chances at an entrance essay and she had already used up three. This last one was it or she pulled Teenie and Birch away from their home and family for nothing. Elphaba didn't know if Morrible even remembered her end of the deal and couldn't take the chance.

Bram was happy to be a wall to bounce ideas off of.

"You should submit a pie," said Bram.

"I'm serious, Bram," she huffed.

"So am I," he replied. "You're the best damn baker I've ever met."

"But I'm not going to Shiz for a culinary degree," she stressed. "I'm going for politics. Cookies aren't going to change the world."

"Don't knock it til you tried it," he replied.

Elphaba put on her waitress apron and stuck her notebook in the pocket and her pencil behind her ear. She found an old Goat sitting in her section, so she went to take care of him. She had seen him around, but never at the diner.

"Hello, sir," she said. "What can I get you to start with?"

The Goat hummed and adjusted his glasses. Elphaba waited patiently while he decided.

"What are your specials today?" he asked.

"The special today for Herbivores is a spinach salad with pears, strawberries, and blueberries; topped with a poppy seed dressing," Elphaba recited. "The side specials today are fried okra and creamed corn, and the dessert special today is strawberry and rhubarb pie with chocolate crust and a white chocolate drizzle."

The goat hummed. "Mmm-mm! That does sound wonderful. I'll take the Herbivore special today, with a hot cup of tea served _before_ the meal and water _during_ the meal. I'll take that poppy seed dressing on the _side_."

"Would you like almonds on that?" Elphaba asked.

"I didn't say anything about almonds, Miss," he peered at her tag. "Elphaba."

"They come with the salad, sir."

"Then put them on the salad!"

"Yes, sir."

"Now… I think I'd like to try that pie _before_ the meal with my cup of tea."

"Yes, sir," said Elphaba. "I'll get right on that for you."

She turned on her heel and ripped the order out of her notebook and tacked it onto the order wheel then set up tea and placed a slice of pie on her tray. She served it to the old Goat who rubbed his hooves together.

"Enjoy, sir."

"You can call me Dr. Dillamond," he said. "I'm a Professor at Shiz."

"Really?" said Elphaba. "I've been trying to apply, but so far my essays have been rejected."

"What sort of essays have you been submitting, Miss Elphaba?"

"Well, my first one was on Animal Politics and how re-entering them into society and giving them full rights would be beneficial to the economy," she said.

"Ooh, I remember that one," said Dr. Dillamond, taking a sip of his tea. "Wonderfully crafted."

Elphaba smiled slightly.

"My second essay, I wrote about how areas like the Vinkus and Quadling Country are erroneously seen as backwards and savage just because their culture is deeply rooted in tradition. A culture should be allowed to tattoo their body, speak their language, and celebrate life as their ancestors did and still enjoy electricity and modern plumbing without conforming to the norm."

"Exceedingly Eloquent." Dr. Dillamond nodded.

"I liked that one," said Bram from the kitchen.

"And the third one, I wrote about how we can learn from history to shape our society for the better."

"My personal favorite," said Dr. Dillamond.

"I'm pleased you do," said Elphaba, wilting slightly, "but the board didn't seem to think they were worth considering."

Dr. Dillamond took a big bite of pie and closed his eyes. Elphaba smiled and watched the moment she adored. The closing of the eyes to help the senses focus more on the flavor. The sigh that showed they drifted to their own world for a time. And the sound of delight.

"My dear," he said. "This pie is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. Who made this? I'd like to shake their hand."

Elphaba smiled and extended her hand.

"You made this masterpiece?"

"Yes, I did," she said, glowing both from the praise of her pie and her essays.

Dr. Dillamond shook her hand with both hooves.

"My dear, if you were to submit this pie in place of an essay you'd surely be accepted," he said. "This pie is as wonderful, marvelous, and exquisite as your writing. It is your essays in the form of food."

Elphaba felt the tips of her ears grow warm.

"Thank you, sir. Well, I need to get back to work."

"Of course, Miss Elphaba," he said, patting his mouth with his napkin. "I hope to see you this Autumn."

"Told you," said Bram. "Submit a pie."

"I think I will," said Elphaba, narrowing her eyes with determination. "Not just any pie. The best damn pie they will have ever had in their life!"

"That's the spirit," said Birch.

"We believe in you, Baba," said Teenie.

That night, she planned out what she was going to do. There were seven board members and it seemed Dr. Dillamond was included. She read through all of her recipes and finally worked it out.

By morning, she had not one pie, but eight. Each one the size of her hand and each one unique. A creamy marshmallow pie topped with cherries; apple and caramel with the slices twisted into a rose; blueberry and bacon; salted caramel with chocolate cream cookie crust; zesty peach and lemon polka dot crust; peanut butter pie with a hazelnut swirl and piled with merengue; pumpkin brûlée with the caramel so perfectly done cracking it with a spoon would create the ultimate satisfaction; a dark chocolate mousase pie with marshmallow topping; and, finally, a pie with a pretzel crust, a layer of cream cheese, and topped with red jelly inlaid with blueberries.

For her essay, she wrote: _I'd like to change the world for the better someday. I'd like to begin by changing your minds. Enjoy._

With the pies placed neatly in a pastel pink to-go box, she brought it up to the school and went to the registration office.

"How can I help—Agh!" the receptionist shrieked.

"I'd like to submit my application," said Elphaba, placing the box on her desk and opening it. "One is for you…" she looked at the nameplate. "Jizelle."

"F-for me?" Jizelle stammered.

"Pick whichever one you like."

"JESSIE! Bring in the next round of applications!" A voice screeched from the other room.

"It's Jizelle," Jizelle muttered, randomly plucking a mini-pie out for herself before stacking the box on top of the other applications for the school board to review.

Elphaba smiled with satisfaction and returned home.

"Submit your essay alright?" Teenie asked, placing a cup of tea in front of her.

"Yes," said Elphaba. "I feel confident in this one. Sure I felt confident in the last three, but fourth times the charm."

She was agnostic, but in case someone was in fact listening, she prayed that she would be accepted. She wanted this more than anything. She had a feeling her future was here at Shiz.

Three days later, she received a letter from the administration office. This was it. Either she got accepted to Shiz or she would spend the rest of her life making pies. She tore open the envelope and scanned the letter for keywords.

"What does it say, sweetheart?" Teenie asked.

"I got accepted!" Elphaba breathed an early cried with relief. "I got in."

Birch, Teenie, and Bram cheered for her.

"It looks like I audition for the gymnastics team next week," she said. "Though they enjoyed my essay so much they're willing to give me another scholarship if I at least minor in the culinary arts."

"Oh, that's wonderful," said Teenie, hugging her tightly. "I'm going to make your favorite meal tonight."

Maybe things were finally going to look up. After all, their regulars were going to become her peers. She might even make an acquaintance. Elphaba allowed herself to bask in the happiness before she had to map out her gymnastics audition. It would be difficult to double major like she wanted, so she planned to focus on a major in Political Science while minoring in the culinary arts. If she were a good enough athlete she'd probably get a bigger scholarship next year. It was going to be a lot on her plate, but in the end it would all be worth it.

Nothing could bring her down.


	9. Chapter 9

**Word Count: 2652**

**Space Address: D4 - Grey (as in apathy, morally, neither good nor bad)**

**Warnings: Bullying, bias, prejudice, and misgendering.**

Elphaba received her orientation packet in the mail, but would have to attend the official orientation as well to receive her room assignment. All freshmen had to live on campus and then they could keep their dorm or move to the apartments in the college town. The lodging was going to seriously eat into her savings as it wasn't covered by her scholarship, but it was a small price to pay for her end goal.

The day of she dressed in long, grey slacks and a blazer that Teenie made for her. She enjoyed frocks as much as the next girl, but trousers gave her more mobility.

"I'll be by for the night shift after I'm settled in my dorm," said Elphaba.

"You shouldn't have to work while you go to school," said Teenie. "Birch and I are more than happy to support you."

"But who else will make the pies?" Elphaba asked. "It's just part-time, Teenie. I won't fall behind on my studies."

"I know you won't." Teenie kissed her forehead. "Have a good orientation. We'll see you at dinner."

"See you at dinner, everyone." Elphaba picked up her suitcases and walked towards campus.

The returning students were already used to Shiz's resident green girl and only sent glances her way.

The sort of apathy she was afforded by the older students was not given to her by the new ones who were still stuck in their secondary school ways. When she entered the auditorium, people turned and screamed in horror upon seeing her.

"Sorry," she said drily. "I only speak Ozian."

"You're… you're… green!" a girl gasped.

Elphaba looked down at her skin and screamed as if she had just noticed it for the first time. She broke off into a cackle at the looks on their faces.

"Okay, here's the F.A.Q.," she said. "Yes, I'm green, I have always been green, and it is not contagious. End of story."

She went over to new student check in. The dead-eyed, smiling-faced volunteer had been to the diner a few times and ordered the same thing every time.

"Elphaba Lyon," she said.

He skimmed through the packets and brought out one for her.

"Here you go," he said with obviously fake cheer. "You have your social events calendar, your class schedule, student handbook, and room assignment."

Elphaba stepped away and skimmed through the documents in her packet.

"I'm sorry," she said. "My room assignment seems to be missing."

"Well, all assignments are situated by Madame Morrible," said the volunteer. "She's right over there."

"Welcome, new students!" said Madame Morrible. She looked like a carp with her long sequin gown and over appliance of makeup. "I am Madame Morrible, headmistress here at Shiz University. And whether you are here to study logic, literature, or linguification, I know I speak for my fellow faculty members when I say we have nothing but the highest hopes for some of you. Now if you have any questions about your room assignments, feel free to speak directly with me."

Elphaba raised her hand and was blocked by a girl with flawless brown skin and gold curls. She was the type of girl who knew exactly how beautiful she was and could have everyone eating out of her hand. She chatted with Madame Morrible about the sorcery program which would only accept five students starting in the spring. The girl, a miss Galinda Upland (of the Upper Uplands), seemed to think she was good enough for solitary study.

Once the girl was ushered along, Elphaba approached Madame Morrible who made a strangled noise in the back of her throat.

"Hi," said Elphaba. "I'm Elphaba Lyon. Torrance used to be my mentor."

"Oh, Miss Elphaba, of course," said Madame Morrible, taking a slight step back. "He told me you were very bright."

"Bright? She's phosphorescent!" said Galinda snidely.

Sweet only to those she deemed worthy. Figures.

"I just don't seem to have a room assignment," said Elphaba. "Of course, I can make other arrangements off campus if necessary."

"Nonsense, my dear! A slight gulch! We'll find someplace to put you. Now which of you young ladies would like to volunteer to be Miss Lyon's roommate?"

The majority of them looked down at their nails or papers. Galinda, who had been absorbed in conversation with her friends, turned around.

"Madame Morrible…"

"Oh, how good of you, Miss Galinda! Thank you, dear!"

Galinda blinked. "What?"

"Miss Elphaba, you may share a room with Miss Galinda. I'm sure the two of you will become fast friends. Now, if you will excuse me, I must tend to other matters."

Elphaba stepped forward with a wicked smile. She'd put on the scary show until she got bored. After all, she had more important things to worry about than this girl did.

"Hi, roomie," she said. "Which way to our dorm?"

"R-right this way," said Galinda, waving her hand for her wagon full of matching white luggage to follow.

The poor boy struggled to lug it all the way up the stairs, so Elphaba helped by lagging behind and giving the back of the wagon a little oomph.

"I was going to use the extra space as a reception area," said Galinda. "But I suppose we can put your bed there."

"How goodly of you," said Elphaba. "Imagine how highly everyone will think of you when you take in the local freak."

The girl swelled importantly and preened. "Well, it's what's right."

_Give me a break,_ Elphaba thought.

Extra furniture the color of ash was brought in, plainer than Miss Galinda's extravagance, but suitable for Elphaba.

"Will there be anything else, Miss Upland?" the boy asked, puffing after unloading all the luggage.

"That will be all," said Galinda, giving him a tip.

"Hey," said Elphaba to him. "If you tell Teenie Elphaba sent you, you can get a free slice of pie at Teenie's Diner."

"Really? Thanks!" The boy bowed slightly and hurried out.

Elphaba unpacked her possessions in the drawers and nightstand. She furrowed her brow as she examined the items. She always felt like she was missing something important. Oh, well, once she thought of it she could just walk home and grab it.

By the time she finished, Galinda was still arranging her shoes. How one person could own so many shoes was beyond Elphaba, but who was she to judge on what made people happy? Some filled the empty void in their lives with food and others filled it with shoes.

Without a word to her roommate, she grabbed her bag and left to go figure out where her classes were before going back to the diner for dinner. She already knew where the gymnasium was as it was where she had her audition. They were very impressed with her performance.

"How was orientation?" Teenie asked when Elphaba showed up.

"It was fine," said Elphaba. "I got roomed with some prissy girl. I've never seen so many fake people in one room before."

"Fake how?"

"It's like… a never-ending circus!" Elphaba huffed. "The curtain never falls for these people they always have to walk, talk, and act a certain way as if the moment they stop they're going to get sent to social badlands. Everyone of them is a clown, always trying to gain audience approval."

"So I guess my next question is a 'no,'" said Teenie. "I do hope you'll find a friend, Baba."

"I have friends," said Elphaba. "I have you and Birch. Bram is my friend."

"Yes, and we love you, but it might also be nice to have someone else you can complain to when we drive you crazy. Someone who you can go places with and share secrets. A best friend."

Elphaba frowned and stared down at her food. She didn't see how she could be anything beyond cordial with anyone outside the circus. They treated her different, so why should she waste her time trying to get them to like her?

The bell chimed as the door opened.

"Welcome to Teenie's!" Elphaba, Birch, Bram, and Teenie chorused automatically.

Elphaba looked over her shoulder to see Galinda and her friends. How did those three girls have different hair and skin tones yet look like they were popped out of the same mold?

"That's my roommate," said Elphaba.

"Well, grin and bear it," said Teenie. "That's my motto."

She stood and went over to the group.

"Hello," she said. "Just the four of you? Will that be a booth or table?"

"A Lion?" said one girl.

"Lioness," Teenie corrected.

"I don't know if I want to be served by a _Lion_," said another. "Do you have someone else who can serve us?"

Elphaba narrowed her eyes. Teenie had tensed up considerably.

"Lioness," she said tightly and looked to Elphaba for help.

She stood and went over.

"I'm the only non-Animal waitress," she said.

The girls giggled.

"Of course the artichoke works here!"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you girls to leave," said Teenie sharply. "I won't have you disrespecting my daughter like this!"

"Teenie, it's fine, I can handle them," said Elphaba. "Listen, you four can either respect the owners of this place or you can go eat somewhere else."

Galinda turned up her nose. "Come on Milla, Pfannee, Shen Shen. I doubt anything here is on our diets anyway."

They turned and left.

"Can you believe that Lion?" Pfannee asked. "He was so rude."

Elphaba twitched her nose so the door slammed the girl in the butt, causing her to collide with the others.

Teenie huffed. "Well, this year will go fast and then you and that awful girl can part ways."

"I hope so," said Elphaba. "I also hope everyone gets over the green thing."

"They will," said Birch. "They always do."

Elphaba was taking four classes: Beginner's Baking (she had to if she wanted to take the advanced courses and keep that scholarship), Ozian History with Dr. Dillamond, Beginner's Political Science, and Ozian 101. Plus, she had to attend meetings with the Shiz Gymnastics Team just about every day. Even so, she wanted to get her Core Classes out of the way wherever she could. Baking and other culinary classes would fill her "fun" quota each semester. She had made sure to divide them up so that she only had Gymnastics to deal with on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It would also give her time to do her homework.

Monday, she showed up to Beginner's Baking, which was filled with people she didn't know. Then again, Galinda and her back-up dancers wouldn't want to damage their manicures. Good. There was one class where she wouldn't have to deal with them.

She took a seat at a workstation and admired the state-of-the-art equipment. Oh, she would kill for a standing mixer this good at the diner.

"Good morning, class," said the teacher, a sturdy woman with short hair. "I am Professor Fritz. Today, I'd like to get a sense of where your skill level is at, so bake anything you'd like. Cookies, cake, pie, pastry. Anything. You have two hours. Go."

Elphaba washed her hands, then put on her apron and glasses before opening up one of her recipe books. She skimmed through it and knew what to do. She rushed over to the pantry and got out ingredients for raspberry and lemon mini-cakes.

"Um, Professor," said one boy. "How can I do my assignment when the ingredients just got contaminated?"

"Contaminated? How?"

"My hands are clean," said Elphaba, knowing what he was talking about.

He sneered at her. "You sure? Because I'm pretty sure a snot monster just entered the pantry."

That was a new one and it hurt. Elphaba pushed away her angry thoughts and kept working. Bad thoughts made baked bads.

"If you're going to let the color of peoples' skin bother you," said Professor Fritz, "then you shouldn't go into the service industry. Now start baking before I have to ask you to leave."

The boy flushed and got in line for the pantry.

Elphaba made eye contact with Professor Fritz and nodded.

Once the cakes were cooled, she poured the glossy raspberry icing over them and dripped on the lemon icing. She presented them on a smooth wooden cutting board and went about cleaning up her work space.

"Done already, Miss Lyon?"

"Yes, Professor."

Professor Fritz studied the cakes and just nodded before moving on to monitor the others. Near the end of class, she called time whether everyone was done or not and went around trying what was made and critiquing it. Sometimes harshly.

Elphaba began to grow nervous. What if she didn't like raspberry and lemon? What if the cakes weren't done like she thought? Or worse… over done and bone dry.

She was last. Professor Fritz cut one of the cakes in half and studied the inside, then took a bite. She closed her eyes and sighed. Then she took another bite which she didn't do for the others.

"I remember now," she said. "You submitted pies in place of an essay."

"Yes," said Elphaba.

"Well, I think we can expect great things from you, Miss Lyon." Professor Fitz looked to everyone else. "There are boxes by the window, feel free to share or take your creations with you. If you don't want to keep it, and if it is edible, there's a shelf in the back for the soup kitchen at the nearby town."

One glance told Elphaba that her peers wouldn't touch her cakes, so she boxed most of them for the soup kitchen and took the other half with her to share with Birch, Teenie, and Bram.

Her next class was History and to her dismay, Galinda and her crew were there, too. Figures they'd have a class together. Elphaba had never been to secondary school, but she was certain these people were going to be forever stuck in that mind set.

"Oh, look who it is," said Pfannee. "The artichoke. Don't you have a circus to get back to?"

How did she know? It had to just be a lucky jab.

"Or a village to terrorize?" Galinda chimed in.

"Not 'til three," Elphaba deadpanned and a few people laughed at the comment.

Honestly, it was easier to have them laugh at things she could control than what she couldn't. Besides, the biggest enablers to bullies were the bystanders.

Galinda scoffed and tossed her hair.

"Honestly, Galinda, I don't know how you put up with her," said Shen-Shen.

"These things are sent to try us," Galinda replied as if she were some sort of martyr.

Elphaba rolled her eyes and took a seat at the front of the room. Dr. Dillamond entered from his office.

"Settle down everyone," he said. "Class is in session."

He paused and sniffed the air. "Mmm! What's that smell?"

"Raspberry and lemon cake," said Elphaba, opening the box.

"Well, I hope you don't mind if I help myself to one after class," he said.

"Not at all."

"Brown-noser," someone coughed.

It was like that with her other classes. Dr. Dillamond openly defended her, but the other Professors seemed of the mind-set that they don't get paid enough to deal with bullies and would prefer it to happen outside of the classroom.

Her teammates for Gymnastics got over their issues quickly when they realized she could get them first place in competitions. Her classmates in Baking were hesitant to eat her successes, but one "brave" soul finally tried it and the others followed, fairly soon she didn't have much to bring home to Teenie and the others. Her peers in her writing class ignored her. History was the worst and it just started wearing Elphaba down.

If Galinda wasn't making fun of her, she was pretending she didn't exist. She always invited people to their room and gossiped loudly, taking up more room than was her fair share, urgh! If Elphaba had to clean those blonde strands off the sink one more time she was going to scream.

Something had to give.


	10. Chapter 10

**Word Count: 2414**

**Space Address: C5 - Red**

**Warnings: Mentioned death, alcoholic character, and the usual prejudice, bullying, and bias**

"I'm sick of it, Teenie," said Elphaba. "I don't see how I'm going to make it six more months rooming with blondie."

"So, make a peace offering," said Teenie. "She might not be as bad as you think."

"But she is! She's horrendible!"

Teenie hummed and rested her chin in her paw.

"Still, she's probably as frustrated with you as you are with her. Make the first step and she'll start reevaluating all she knows."

"I guess…" Elphaba pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'll think about it, but I doubt anything could change my mind enough to make peace with Galinda "toss-toss" Upland."

~o0o~

In the middle of the night, Galinda sat in her bed trying her hardest not to cry. She had received a letter that morning stating her grandmother had passed. The one who sent her all those hideodious hats that she never wore, but that wasn't the point. She kept those hats because they were gifts. They meant her grandmother was thinking of her. Just because her style was off didn't mean that Galinda didn't appreciate them.

After all her thinking, she stifled a sob that escaped from her throat.

Her roommate, Elphaba, the _green_ girl, rolled over with a soft sigh.

"Are you okay, Wilu?" she asked.

The artichoke must've been half-asleep.

"It's okay," said Elphaba in that dreamy voice. "You can tell me."

Maybe talking to the resident green girl wouldn't be a bad thing. She was half-asleep anyway and wouldn't remember the conversation. And if she did, who would believe anything out of that chapped mouth?

"I-it's just..." Galinda swallowed hard and swiped a hand under her eye. "My grandmother… passed."

"Mm…"

When the artichoke was silent, Galinda wondered if she had fallen asleep.

"I know you miss your family, Wilu," she continued. "I know you don't want to hear the 'they're not really gone' thing. It always means something until you're the one who needs to hear it. Yes?"

Galinda knew exactly what Elphaba was talking about.

"Y-yes."

"I think what they mean is… as long as you remember them, pass on their stories, keep the things they loved… then they're not gone. You have her red shoes. I know the color means nothing to a blind person, but trust me when I say they're unique. Every time you run your hands over the beading you think of her. When you smell dumplings, you remember your mother. And," Elphaba chuckled, "Birch's snoring reminds you of your father. And guess what, Wilu?"

"What?" Galinda asked.

"When you stop remembering them… only then are they truly gone."

Galinda sat in silence, contemplating what her roommate said. Wilu must've been her friend and, from the sound of things, they were so close Elphaba would comfort her no matter what her state of mind was. Galinda hiccuped and blotted her tears with a tissue. She buried her face into her pillow and sighed.

When she woke, Elphaba was gone, probably out to make the pies for the diner before class as she always did. Galinda found she had grown used to the smell of flour always lingering around her roommate. It was nice having someone listen to her and talk to her like a person rather than a popular girl, even if they were asleep. She felt the urge to ask about Wilu, but knew there wasn't such a person at Shiz or at Teenie's Diner.

Wait… when did she become Elphaba and not 'the artichoke' or 'green girl'? Just because she sort-of listened when Galinda was upset didn't mean she wasn't any less of a freak.

Then again… when had anybody given her a chance? From Day One everyone treated her horribly.

Galinda went through the rest of the day in relative silence. Of course she maintained her perfect image, not a hair out of place and not a single smudge of makeup. Surely Milla, Pfannee, and Shen Shen would listen with the same kind ear about her grandmother.

Give the same words of wisdom.

"You're so quiet today, Galinda," said Milla.

"Oh, I suppose I am," said Galinda. "It's just… my grandmother died and I found out yesterday."

"Oh no…" said Shen Shen. "Which one?"

"Nana Paulyna."

"Eww, the one who sends you those hideodious hats?" said Milla.

"Wh—yes."

"Well, that sucks about your gramma, but at least you won't get those hats anymore," said Pfannee.

What a horrendible thing to day! Galinda felt as if she were slapped. She forced out a laugh and stared into her cup of tea.

"Uh-oh, here comes the artichoke," Milla muttered.

"Miss Galinda."

The blonde looked up and found Elphaba carrying a pie box in her hands. The green girl looked tired and her hair was falling out of its braid.

"I've realized that we got off on the wrong foot and… it wasn't fair of me to assume anything about you," she said. "I baked you this pie as a peace offering."

"Galinda doesn't want anything _you_ make," Pfannee sneered.

"And pie?" Milla scoffed. "Galinda doesn't want those carbs and sugars."

"Galinda is too good for anything you have to offer."

"Galinda can speak for herself," Galinda snapped and quickly covered it with a sweet smile. "That's very kind of you Miss Elphaba. What kind of pie is it?"

"I call it Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Pie," said Elphaba. "It's a graham cracker crust, strawberry mousse on top of a layer of jam, and marshmallow meringue with chocolate on top. Anyway, you can do whatever you want with it. I've got to go."

Galinda watched Elphaba leave.

"Don't eat it," said Milla. "She probably spit in it."

"Or cursed it!" chimed Pfannee.

"It'll make you fat!" Shen Shen added.

"I have to go," said Galinda, getting to her feet and shouldering her purse. She grabbed the pie box and left her friends.

A carriage careened down the street nearly knocking Galinda over and splattering mud on her shoes and calves.

"Hey!" she shrieked in a very un-Galinda-like voice. "Watch where you're going!"

"Sorry, Miss!" said the driver.

Galinda stomped over to the sleeping boy in the back. His head was tipped back and his mouth was parted in a snore.

"Wake up!" she shouted, whapping him over the head with her purse.

He snorted and looked up then grinned charmingly.

"Hello, there."

Any other time, Galinda would have swooned, giggled, and flirted. But she wasn't in the best of moods today and these were her third favorite pair of shoes.

"Your driver drives like a madman and you're sitting here sleeping?!"

"Of course." He looked over his sunglasses and winked. "It's daytime."

"Ugh!" Galinda rolled her eyes and smacked him with her purse again. "Get your driver some lessons!"

She stormed away, barely registering that she shouted at an attractive boy. He had brushed it off anyway. Hopefully he wouldn't tell everybody, but still…

When she made it to her room, she dumped her things just outside her closet and cleaned the mud off her legs in the bathroom. The pie box sat on her vanity.

She told herself she wasn't going to eat it.

Elphaba made it. She _touched _it.

But the green wasn't contagious…

She didn't need the calories!

Galinda spread out on her bed and opened a magazine. Every few seconds, she kept glancing over at the pie. Her stomach suddenly felt empty. She didn't feel like going out again for more food. How would that look?

After a long mental war, Galinda strode over to the pie box. If it looked gross, she would throw it away. She opened it and exhaled softly. The pie wasn't too big. Enough to feed four people who enjoyed good-sized slices (or two determined people). The marshmallow meringue had been shaped to look like a rose and the chocolate accentuated the petals. In the center were three shiny pink pearls.

It was absolutely perfect and… totally Galinda! If she could wear this pie she would. Galinda looked over her shoulder as if anyone would burst in on her at any second, then turned back to the pie. She dipped her pinkie finger into the topping, scooped up a bit, and tasted it.

It was good!

Galinda found a fork in the box and sat on her bed. She got as much of the pie on her fork as she could, enjoying the satisfying crunch of the tines breaking through crust. When she took that first bite, she had to close her eyes. If a perfect shopping trip where everything she fancied was in her size was represented in food, this pie was it.

Before she realized it, she was dipping in for another taste. She ate a big portion of the pie before forcing herself to stop. While she would happily eat it in one sitting, she wanted to taste it again.

~o0o~

Fiyero rubbed his head where the blonde smacked him. What did she keep in that bag? Rocks?

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" his driver asked.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I guess Shiz will be different from the other schools after all."

This was his last chance before his parents decided he would need to have private tutors again. It wasn't like he was purposely getting into trouble. He would just party a little too hard and then trouble found him.

He bid his driver goodbye and found a gaggle of girls.

"Excuse me," he said, sending them a charming smile. "Can you tell me where the administration building is?"

"It's just through the courtyard," said the one in the middle looking starstruck. "It has an orange roof, you can't miss it."

"Thanks."

The three of them giggled and swooned. Oh yeah, he still had it. He found the administration building and the secretary let the headmistress know of his arrival

Madame Morrible was a woman who resembled a giant carp and seemed keen on pushing the image by wearing robes covered in sequin that fell around her legs like a fishtail.

"I am well aware of your reputation Your Highness," she said sweetly. "I certainly hope they are rumors."

Half of them were, but some of the stuff he did made those rumors too plausible. He made a promise to his parents though. No shenanigans or it was Military School next.

"Yes, Madame Morrible," he said.

"And one more thing," she said.

"Ma'am?"

"Is there anyway you can cover those tattoos?" she asked. "They are against dress code."

Fiyero didn't know universities had dress codes. His last four didn't. Looking at his assigned schedule, it almost seemed that Shiz functioned more like secondary school.

Yippee…

Touching his diamonds, Fiyero nodded.

"Yes, I can cover them."

"Very good. That will be all."

As he left her office, he figured he'd seek out those three girls and find a swankified place to throw a party. He can start trying tomorrow. As he passed the library, a group of students were leaving with stacks of books.

Fiyero did a double-take at a girl who diverged from the group.

No… it couldn't be.

He turned around and followed her. It had to be a trick of the light or some sort of makeup.

When he returned from his wilderness trial, he had told his parents all about the fairy he'd met. They didn't believe him and had gotten several therapists, all sworn to secrecy. The last one convinced him that Fae was just a hallucination to stave off the loneliness he felt being on his own. To make it easier.

The fae weren't real, they were just stories. Fiyero was just following this girl to confirm that.

The girl picked up the pace, so he walked faster as well. She turned the corner of the building. When he rounded it, he saw no one there.

Looking around, he found the door at the end had no handle.

"It's just a trick," he muttered to himself. "You're just hallucinating due to thirst and hunger. Dr. Mailli said you could be prone to those sorts of hallucinations."

He needed to get something to eat. Party pushed out of his mind, he went into town and found a diner all done up in red, white, and black. He pushed open the door which jingled merrily.

"Welcome to Teenie's!" the workers chorused.

A maned Lioness in a brightly colored dress was helping someone at the register.

"Have a seat wherever you'd like, hon," she said. "I'll be right with you."

Fiyero sat at the counter and looked at the menu. Once the other people left, it was just him.

The Lioness approached him, her name tag read: Teenie. This diner must've been hers.

"What can I get you?" she asked. "Water? Soda pop? Milkshake?"

"Do you have anything stronger?" he asked.

"Now what has you so upset that you feel the need to drink at four in the afternoon?" a Bear asked.

"I think I'm losing my mind," he muttered. "I'm seeing things that aren't there, this is my sixth school, and I'm under a lot of pressure."

"But instead of working through it you dig your heels in?" the Bear finished.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"We've read about you in the papers, Your Highness," said Teenie. "I always say there's more to celebrities than what we see in the columns and photos."

The Bear nodded.

"You know what makes me feel better after an awful, no-good day?" said Teenie. "One of my daughter's homemade desserts."

While Fiyero wondered if it was difficult to bake with paws, Teenie went over to the dessert carousel and studied the selection.

"Here we are. Chocolate hazelnut crunch cheesecake." She put a hearty slice on a plate, topped it with whipped cream, and placed it in front of him.

Fiyero had never eaten anything Lion-made before. He picked up his fork and took a bite.

"Oh my Oz," he groaned. "This is the most amazing thing I've ever had in my life."

"Baba has a gift," said Teenie. "But she has her heart set on politics instead of a culinary degree."

"Is she good at politics?" he asked.

"Smart as a whip," said the Bear. "Taught herself everything she knows so she could go to this school."

Well, Fiyero had never been friends with an Animal before. Even if this Baba was a nerd, she might be a nerd who could help him pass his classes. He'd take what he could get at this point.


	11. Chapter 11

**Word Count: 1724**

**Space Address: A2 - Growth**

**Warnings: slight angst**

**A/N: Remember, Elphaba also doesn't remember anything before the circus. She's not lying to anyone when she says she came from a tree. She genuinely believes it which is going to make Nessa's arrival all the more interesting.**

Elphaba released her breath when she was sure that man was gone. She'd been chased plenty of times and did _not_ want to deal with another attack. She didn't know what he wanted from her, but she didn't want to find out. He definitely hadn't been expecting her to scale the wall.

Just in case he was waiting around the corner, she walked on the roof to get to her room. It was on the top floor, so she wouldn't have to worry about shimmying down a drain pipe.

Once she had her room, easily pinpointed since it was the only room with pink curtains, she settled on her stomach and slid over as far as she could. The curtains were open and she could see Galinda inside, placing the pie box on her dresser and wiping some cream from her lips. Seemed she enjoyed the pie.

Elphaba knocked on the window and grinned when she scared the blonde.

Clutching onto her chest, Galinda looked at Elphaba and hurried over to the window to open it.

"What in Oz are you doing on the roof?" she demanded.

"Walking was too easy," Elphaba replied, throwing her bag inside onto her bed.

Galinda startled them both by giggling. Elphaba smirked and rolled onto her back, grasped the edge of the roof, swung herself into their room and landed lightly on her feet.

"She sticks the landing!" Elphaba announced before collapsing onto her bed. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked after feeling her roommate's eyes on her for more than thirty-seconds.

"The pie you made," she said. "It was wonderful."

Elphaba felt the corner of her mouth twitch.

"I'm glad."

A weight settled on the end of her bed.

"Listen, I know it seems suspiciously timed, but I was thinking today that I don't really know you," said Galinda. "I'm sorry for the horrendible things I've said and… I want to be your friend."

Elphaba opened her eyes and looked at the blonde incredulously. "Seriously?"

She hadn't expected her pie to work _that_ well. True, she wanted to offer an olive branch like Teenie suggested, but gaining a friend out of it? It seemed… suspicious.

"Seriously." Galinda looked down at her hands. "I understand if you hate me though."

"I don't hate you," said Elphaba, surprising herself. "I just… think that you live in the "hot popular girl" bubble where everyone treats you either as a princess or an object and I think that makes you a little… self-absorbed."

Galinda considered her words and nodded. "That's fair. But do you think maybe you're so mean and sarcastic because you're afraid nobody is going to like you, so you decide not to like them first?"

"… maybe."

"Okay, then. Let's start over. Hi, my name is Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands."

Elphaba shook her offered hand. "Elphaba Lyon of a random tree in the forest of Beverdosa."

Galinda laid back on Elphaba's bed with a groan. "So, oh, my Oz! I was walking back to here, minding my own business, and this carriage comes out of nowhere and almost hits me! Splattered mud on my shoes."

"What'd you do?" Elphaba asked. Was talking with people really this easy?

"I went to confront the person in the back since _he's_ the one who hired the driver in the first place and, get this, he was _asleep_!"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously! I smacked him with my purse and he had the _nerve_ to try and charm me! Unluckily for him, I carry a brick in my purse."

Elphaba grinned. "Good for you!"

"I've never done anything like that in my life!" Galinda breathed. "It felt _good_."

"You've never let loose like that?"

Galinda nodded and Elphaba tilted her head.

"Do you always spend your life with pretenses?" she asked.

Galinda flushed and played with the hem of her skirt.

"Am I that obvious?"

"You are now," she said. "I knew you couldn't be that nice to everyone all the time. I thought maybe I was special."

The blonde propped her head up with her hand.

"It can be exhausting," she said. "But momsie says you catch more flies with honey."

"Actually you catch the most flies with bullshit," Elphaba replied.

Galinda laughed again.

"Elphie—can I call you Elphie?"

"It's a little perky," said Elphaba, not outrightly saying no. Usually only Torrance called her Elphie. "Can I call you 'Glin?'"

"It's a little _un_-perky." Galinda hummed. "Fine."

"Then you can call me Elphie."

"I think I'm going to like being your friend."

Elphaba smiled. It'd be interesting to be friends with someone who had such a different perspective on life.

"I think I might like being your friend, too." She looked at the clock. "I'm going to go get dinner. Did you… want to come to the diner with me?"

"After what Pfannee said about gram-gram, I don't really want to run into her," said Galinda. "And I think I owe that Lioness an apology for what they said."

"You didn't say it."

"I didn't stop it either."

True. The two girls walked to the diner.

"Can I ask a somewhat personal question, Elphie?"

"Sure, but I might not answer."

"How do you have a Lioness for a mother?"

That was a question she didn't mind answering.

"I fell out of a tree," she said. "Pretty literally. I had no existence and then I appeared, hungry and cold. I followed the smell of peanuts and candy floss to the circus. Teenie was taking a nap and I accidentally stepped on her tail. She fed me, bathed me, and clothed me and then I had a home."

"A circus," Galinda breathed. "That's how you could run across the roof and why you're so good at gymnastics!"

Elphaba nodded. "Don't tell anyone, though."

"My lips are sealed," said Galinda. "Ooh! Now that we're friends, maybe I can help you become popular."

"Glin… my mission in life is to prevent Animals from being used as scapegoats. I'll never be popular. What I _need_ to be is a nuisance until I get my way."

"Elphie, all important people got to where they were by being popular," said Galinda. "Do you think the Wizard came into power by hiding in the library? No! He got the people to like him and with me as your friend, I can put you in the position where the changes you want to make matter."

"Galinda… if you decided to put your focus into something that wasn't shopping you could be very devious and, dare I say it… wicked."

"Galinda Upland, Wicked Witch doesn't have the same ring to it though."

Elphaba laughed. It wasn't her usual dry, humorless cackle, but a genuine laugh. She hadn't done that since… she didn't know when.

They entered Teenie's Diner which was nearly empty save for their usuals and someone new sitting at the counter. People thought she didn't care for these things, but Elphaba could admire the human physique. Whoever designed those pants deserved an award.

"I've never eaten at a place like this before," said Galinda.

"Don't worry, we have an Herbivore special," Elphaba teased.

"Oh, Baba, you brought a friend," said Teenie, eyeing Galinda warily.

"Miss Teenie," said Galinda, "I am awful sorry for the way my friends and I acted. Elphie and I decided to get a fresh start and become friends."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," said Teenie, relaxing considerably. "Have a seat girls and Bram will whip up whatever you'd like."

"Oh, my Oz…" the guy at the counter gasped.

Here it comes…

"You _are_ real!" He laughed and pushed his hair back to show startling blue eyes. "Everyone said I was crazy, but I knew you existed."

"Uh… what?" Elphaba looked at Galinda.

"This is Fiyero Tiggular," she whispered and pressed a hand to her cheek. "Crown Prince of the Vinkus. He's the one I hit with my purse!"

"Why didn't you meet me?" Fiyero asked. "I waited all night."

Uh… what?

"As strange as it seems, Your Highness," said Elphaba, furrowing her brow, "I think you have me confusified with someone else."

His face fell and she almost felt bad for him. Still, something about how he looked at her made her feel weird, so she made sure Galinda sat down between them. Teenie rested her arms on the counter.

"Baba, a very handsome man is attempting to flirt with you," she whispered. "I think he was confused on the delivery, but—"

"Teenie, I just made my first non-circus friend less than an hour ago," Elphaba replied. "Besides, he seems to be more Galinda's type."

"Normally, I would agree," said Galinda, "but he seems a little… off-kilter."

"There you go."

Teenie frowned in disappointment. "You girls know what you want for dinner?"

Fiyero didn't make any other attempts to talk to Elphaba. He just paid his bill, stuffed a hundred dollars in the tip jar, and left.

"I can't believe the scandalacious Fiyero Tiggular is going to our school!" Galinda gasped. "Though I'm not seeing the whole scandalacious part… He tried to flirt with me, but that might've been to stop me from hitting him again. He did honestly seem to know you, Elphie."

"Glin, I swear on my favorite pie plate that I do not recall ever meeting Prince Fiyero much less agree to meet him somewhere."

"Strangely, I believe you." Galinda rested her chin in her hand. "You know… Fiyero has connections and the Vinkun government is one of the only governments independent of the Emerald City. Well, them and the Ugabians. They used to account for 40% of Oz's economy until they became independent, but they still account for 90% of all jewelry and ore imports."

Elphaba dropped her fork and looked at Galinda incredulously.

"If you know all that off the top of your head, why do you struggle in History Class?"

"It's _boring_, Elphie," she huffed. "I only need it for a credit. Why should I care about the past."

"Because it's important to learn the mistakes of the past so we don't repeat them in the future. Tell me why I should care about fashion."

"Ever hear the saying clothes make the woman? If you feel confident in yourself and how you feel then you can put on a mask and be able to face anything!"

The two of them talked through dinner, dessert, and were sipping tea well into the night. The diner was open 24/7, but when Teenie and Birch went off to bed and the night staff came in, the girls left to go back to their room.

Guess things were changing for the better.


	12. Chapter 12

**Word Count: 2551**

**Space Address: D2 - Explosion**

**Warnings: Bullying, Harassment, effects of memory spells**

For the first time, Elphaba returned to her dorm after making the dessert specials of the day. After a week into their friendship, Galinda had some ideas about a makeover as a way to bond. In return, Elphaba would help her with better essay topics. The blonde admitted that she had grown up with a slightly different education system and didn't know the first thing about a good essay.

"Ah! You're here!" Galinda sang. "So, I put together an outfit to debut the new you and I also have some makeup that will work with your complexion."

"Galinda, if I wanted to look like a clown I would have stayed in the circus." Elphaba closed her eyes. "Sorry, that was mean."

"There is a fine line between accentuating features and clown makeup," Galinda agreed. "This is just some lip tint and mascara. Nothing too scary. Maybe we'll work our way to blush once I can find something that works."

"We always used purple eyeshadow."

The blonde slapped her forehead. "Purple! Of course!"

Elphaba put the outfit on and let Galinda play with her hair.

"You have such nice hair," she said. "Any boy would love to twirl his fingers in it. Or girl if that's what you like."

"It matters more to me what's on the inside."

"Have you ever kissed anyone?"

"Yes," she said automatically and furrowed her brow. "Wait… no. I don't think so."

Galinda hummed and put a flower in Elphaba's hair.

"There. Pretty as a magnolia in May."

"Alright, you've played with my hair enough," said Elphaba. "My turn to give you a style."

"Should I be scared?"

"Not at all. I always did Wilu's hair before performances."

"Who's Wilu?"

"A friend of mine. We were the fairy queens of the trapeze."

Elphaba styled the front of Galinda's gorgeous golden hair with two rolls in the front and let the back half curl like it usually did. When she was done, Galinda looked in the mirror and shrieked.

"Ooh! I love it!" She threw her arms around Elphaba's neck.

"Okay, down girl. Just don't go selling my skills, I have a reputation to uphold."

"I can't wait to show everyone. See you in History?" Galinda paused. "I'm actually considering going to class… what have you done, Elphaba?"

She laughed. "I'll see you in History."

For baking they made sticky buns and Elphaba made sure to put one in a special box to give to Dr. Dillamond. Her first batch didn't rise, but her second batch came out pretty well thanks to a small boost with magic. She had learned magic didn't affect the taste of food, so she wasn't worried about using it once in a while so long as it wasn't noticeable.

When she arrived for History, Galinda waved at her.

"Elphie! Over here!"

"Galinda have you gone mad?" Pfannee gasped.

"The artichoke can't sit with us!" said Milla.

"_Elphaba_ is my friend," said Galinda haughtily. "Besides, haven't you heard? Green is _all_ the rage in the Emerald City. People have started painting themselves green! Why Elphie is so in that she's ahead of the curve!"

Elphaba had never heard that take on her skin before and everyone else ate it up. Suddenly uncomfortable with the attention, she slunk over and sat next to Galinda.

"See? I told you. What did you make today?"

Halfway through class, the door opened and his Royal Highness sauntered—no—_shambled_ in. He looked as if he had just rolled out of bed. He'd been at Shiz a week and was just now showing up to class?

"Better late than never," said Dr. Dillamond. "Have a seat."

The only open seat was by Elphaba and the other girls were quietly arguing with their desk partners to get them to move. Reluctantly, Elphaba moved her bag to the floor and held it between her ankles. Fiyero sat down and buried his head in his arms. Ugh, he couldn't even be bothered to pay attention? People like him had no idea how lucky they had it.

When he finally lifted his head, she saw a glimpse of a hastily covered tattoo. Blue diamonds. For someone who wanted to rule with wisdom he sure was doing a poor job preparing for it.

Wait… how did she know what those symbolized? Someone in the circus must've told her or she read about it somewhere. Yes, that was it.

"Mid-terms will be here before we know it," said Dr. Dillamond, raising his hooves to silence the groans. "Yes, I know. They were no fun for me when I was in school, but not to worry, I have taken the liberty of putting together guides for what could potentially be on the exam. There will be fifty multiple choice and five short answer questions. If you are worried about your final grade, I have included a list of extra credit essay topics. You can turn those in at any time. For now, I suggest you put together study groups to help prepare and if everyone does well on this week's essay, I will allow everyone a cheat note card for the final."

This perked up a lot of heads. Even Elphaba was excited at the prospect of a cheat sheet for the hard to remember dates.

"I really should start doing better," Galinda muttered. "What do you think, Elphie?"

"Well, if we were to have a study group we could meet at the diner," she said thoughtfully. "Maybe meet three times a week for now and then as midterms come closer make them more frequent."

"But we will have time for shopping and a party here and there, right?"

Elphaba chuckled. "Tell you what, if you write a decent essay this week so we can get that cheat sheet, I'll let you drag me to a party."

"Fiyero," said Galinda. "Would you like to join our study group?"

"What are you doing?" Elphaba hissed.

"Getting us that cheat sheet."

Elphaba sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Fine. Invite whoever you want. I got to get to my next class. Meet at Teenie's at six?"

"It's a plan."

She had Ozian 101 and then Beginner's Poli-Sci which Fiyero was surprisingly on time to. He looked around the room lazily before walking over and sitting on the desk next to Elphaba's.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Did I offend you?" he asked.

She opened her mouth to retort and realized that since she came into existence, he was the first person outside the circus to not make a snide remark about her skin.

"Er… no," she said at last.

"So then what's your problem with me?" he asked.

"I don't have a problem with you."

"It sure seems like it."

"You nearly ran my friend over."

"Technically my driver almost ran her over. Considering the bump she gave me on my head, I'd say we're even. What does she keep in that bag anyway? Rocks?"

"A brick actually."

"Why?"

"In case of a brick emergency."

He smacked his forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

Elphaba snorted. "Listen, I don't know if the rumors are true or not, but if you do decide to join the study group, I'd appreciate a little effort."

"Can't disappoint people if they expect little of you."

Well, that was a problem and one that irked her. Even so, class was about to begin and the teacher had come in, so she opened her notebook for notes. Fiyero hardly paid attention which was incredibly annoying, but she wasn't going to afford him the luxury of even thinking about him.

After practice, she ran to Teenie's to prepare for study group. What do you even bring to a study group? Snacks? Were there snacks?

She flung open the door.

"Teenie, we're hosting a study group," she said.

"A study group? How nice! How many people will there be?"

"I'm not sure," she fretted and went into the kitchen. "I need to bake something."

By the time for the meeting, Elphaba had made lemon squares, brownies, trail mix, and had a large platter filled with sliced veggies and dippings. She placed them on the counter just as the door opened and over half the History class entered, led by Galinda.

"Oh, that's a lot of people," said Teenie. "Well, just push tables together. Hello, Miss Galinda."

"Hi, Miss Teenie," said Galinda. "Thank you so much for letting us use your diner to study."

"Any time, dear. Water is free, but would anyone like anything to drink?"

It took them about half an hour to get settled with drinks and snacks, but there was still idle chit-chat.

"Okay!" Elphaba called out above the din. "So we all want to get that cheat sheet for Dr. Dillamond's class. In order to do that, we need to write good essays. He didn't tell us the minimum score, but I'd say a high-B is reasonable. The school library has a workshop to help you fine-tune essays, but today perhaps we can just go over topics, make sure everyone has a different one, as well as go over the structure for a good essay."

She used the spare specials chalkboard to write essay topics.

"Here's one you might like Galinda," she said. "Outfits Across Time and Cultures: Respecting Ozians' Rights to Tradition."

"I can write about that?"

"Dr. Dillamond will appreciate the thoughtfulness of it," Elphaba explained. "And you get to do research on your favorite subject."

"Okay, you are literally my best friend right now."

"What are you writing on?" Fiyero asked.

"Scapegoats: How the Great Drought was not the Animals' faults."

"I don't even know how the Wizard came to that conclusion," said Teenie.

"It sounds like you don't trust the Wizard," said Fiyero.

"I don't," she said matter-of-factly which granted her gasps and gawks. "This man flies in out of nowhere, disenfranchises and alienates a minority group and then disappears into his castle where nobody sees his face or even gets an audience with him? The Great Drought wasn't anyone's fault and Animals are losing their powers of speech after all this oppression."

"Cages are making an uprise again," said Birch. "They're starting at animals and Animals, but who's to say they won't stop at us. They could start caging Quadlings, Ugabians, Quoxians, Munchkins, Vinkuns… anyone who doesn't fit the perfect Ozian image."

There was silence as everyone took in this information. The seed of doubt about the Wonderful Wizard had been planted.

"We can get back to this some other time," said Elphaba. "Who else needs an essay topic?"

"I don't know about an essay topic," said a boy who had just walked in, "but could I get a banana cream pie? I'll supply you the banana and the cream."

Teenie and Birch growled but Elphaba waved her hand to show she could handle it herself.

"Sure," she said brightly and went to her dessert carousel. "I got a pie right here, on the house. It's a cream pie, perfect for a clown like you!"

She hurled it across the diner over her peers heads and got the creep right in the face.

Galinda shrieked with laughter and the others followed. The creep flushed and ran out in embarrassment.

"You're surprisingly funny, Lyon," said a boy.

Elphaba huffed through her nose and got the mop to clean up the mess so Teenie wouldn't have to.

"Got a bit on me," said Fiyero holding out his arm which was speckled with meringue.

She wrung out the mop and swiped it across his arm.

"That works," he chuckled and wiped it dry with a napkin.

Elphaba didn't like the way her heart lodged in her throat. So she finished cleaning up instead while everyone else bounced ideas around, adding her two cents.

"Alright," said Galinda when everyone had topics and bullet points to support their topics. "Good work everyone, we may yet get that cheat sheet! Should we get together at the same time next week?"

There was general agreement and Elphaba was surprised. Two hours and there wasn't one remark about her skin and people actually said goodbye to her. Guess good food and help went a long way. She was a little frustrated that it even took this long to convince them that she wasn't some Wicked Witch, but she supposed it was better late than never.

"Say, Miss Elphaba," said Boq, a Munchkin. "Where are you from?"

"Oh, I come from deep in the forests of Beverdosa on the border of Munchkinland and the Gillikin," said Elphaba. "I fell out of a tree and into existence."

"Where she found us," said Birch.

"Our little fairy child," Teenie agreed.

"I see…" Boq stood. "Goodnight, Miss Galinda."

"Goodnight, Biq," Galinda replied flippantly.

He wilted and left.

"You could at least learn his name," said Elphaba.

Galinda sighed. "You haven't dated much, so I can understand you not knowing. I know Boq's type. He'll fawn over me, worship the very ground I walk upon, and then I'll fall for the attention and give him a chance. Next thing I know he wants to know where I am every second of the day, he starts telling me what I can and can't wear, any sign of smiling at other men is taken as flirting, he'll become possessive and mean and he will tear me down at any opportunity in hopes that my self-esteem will drop to the point where I won't leave him. Next thing I know I'll be applying and pulling every string and favor I have to get into the only school he didn't get into despite the fact I already had a Sorcery Scholarship to my top pick for University in the Glikkus."

"I had no idea, Glin," said Elphaba. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"It was a long time ago," she said. "Just… don't correct me when I mispronounce his name. If I show anything beyond superficial kindness, it could lead to—"

"Stalker-town," Fiyero finished. "I've had the odd girl or two who read too much into a smile or kind gesture and wouldn't leave me alone."

"Well, I guess there are benefits to being off-color," said Elphaba. "You know someone likes you for you."

"By the way, Miss Elphaba." Fiyero stood and dug around his bag. "I… well, I found this when I was doing my Wilderness Trial. I think it might belong to you."

He took out a green bottle that looked as if it held some type of elixir at one point.

"I don't recognize this," she said and took it from him.

She furrowed her brow. Maybe it was a touch familiar. She held it up to her eye and peered through it like a telescope turning everything green and blurry.

_"GET AWAY FROM THERE STUPID GIRL!"_

A shadowy image of a giant appeared in front of her and sharp pain exploded through her head causing her to collapse.


End file.
